Format Text and ParagraphsYou’ve probably seen documents created by friends or work colleagues and envied their different fonts,italicized and boldfaced type, and fancy paragraph formatting. This chapter explains how to format bothcharacters and paragraphs. You will learn how to change the appearance, size, and color of the characters inyour documents. You will also learn the ins and outs of formatting paragraphs: aligning text to the left, right,and center of the page; increasing a paragraph’s line spacing; and indenting paragraphs. This chapter alsodescribes how to add borders to paragraphs and how to create bulleted and number lists.

Knowing how to format characters and paragraphs gives your documents more impact and makes themeasier to read. Let’s get started!

Using Exercise FilesExercise files are provided so users can practice the topic(s) covered in each lesson. There are two ways youmay use the exercise files:

· Open the exercise file for a chapter and perform the lesson exercise. Close the exercise file.

· Open the exercise file for a chapter and perform the lesson exercise. Keep the file open and perform theexercise for the following lesson and so on for the remainder of the chapter.

The exercises are written so that you may “build upon them”, meaning the exercises in a chapter can beperformed in succession from the first lesson to the last.

Formatting Fonts

One way to emphasize text in a document is by changing its font type. A font type is a set of characters withthe same design and shape.

The Font group.

Change the FontSelect the text you want tochange.

Click the Font list arrow.

Tip: You can also click the Fontlist arrow on the Mini Toolbar,when text is selected.

Select a new font.

Tip: Be sure to choose the rightfont for the tone of yourdocument.

Change the Font SizeSelect the text.

Click the Font Size menu arrow.

Tip: You can also click the Sizelist arrow on the Mini Toolbar.

Select a font size.

Shortcut: Click the IncreaseFont Size ( ) or Decrease FontSize ( ) buttons to increase ordecrease by one point at atime.

Tip: Font size is measured inpoints (pt.) that are 1/72 of aninch. The larger the number ofpoints, the larger the font.

Change the Font ColorChanging font color makes text stand out against the white background of the document.

Select the text you want tochange.

Click the Font Color list arrow.

Tip: You can also click the FontColor list arrow on the MiniToolbar.

Select a new color.

Tip: If you don’t like any of theavailable theme colors, selectMore Colors to display theColors dialog box.

Font Styles and Text EffectsIn addition to changing font type, size, and color, you can also emphasize the text in a document by changingthe font style and adding a font effect such as bold, italic, underline, shadow and strikethrough.

Select the text you want toformat.

Select a font style or texteffect.

Shortcuts:

· To bold, Ctrl + B.

· To italicize, Ctrl + I.

· To underline, Ctrl + U.

Lists

Lists are a great way to present short paragraphs of related information.

Create a Bulleted ListUse bulleted lists when the order of items in a list doesn’t matter, such as listing items you need to buy.

Select the text you want to useto make a bulleted list.

Click the Bullet list arrow in theParagraph group.

Select a bullet style.

(Optional) Select a bullet youwant to make a sub-bullet andclick the Increase or DecreaseIndent button.

Tip: To remove bullets, selectthe list and click the Bulletsbutton in the Paragraph Groupagain.

Create a Multilevel ListA multilevel list applies different characters to the levels of text in the document. Outlines and legaldocuments are examples of multileveled lists.

Select the text you want to useto make a multilevel list.

Each line that you want markedmust be its own paragraph.Indentations and outline levelswill determine the characterthat is applied to a list item.

Click the Multilevel list arrow inthe Paragraph group.

Select the multilevel style youwant to use.

Create a Numbered ListWhen the order of items in a list does matter, like step-by-step instructions, try using a numbered list.

Select the text you want to useto make a numbered list.

Click the Numbered List buttonin the Paragraph group.

Tip: To remove numbering froma list, select the list and click theNumbering button in theParagraph Group again.

Tip: For more numberformatting options, click theNumbering list arrow andselect Define New NumberFormat.

Custom NumberingNumbered lists automatically number each list item in order, but you can change it if you need to.

Right-click a list number.

Select Set Numbering Value.

Shortcut: To reset your list backto “1,” select Restart at 1 fromthe right-click menu.

Make your adjustments:

· Start new list is the default,and it begins your list at “1.”

· Continue from previous liststarts numbering where thenumbered list prior to it leftoff. If you check Advancevalue, you can skip numbers.

· Set value to allows you tomanually enter a numberother than “1” where youwant your list to start.

Click OK when you’re done.

Paragraph Alignment

The text in your paragraphs is aligned to the left margin by default, but you can easily change it to the right,center, or justified on a page.

Click anywhere in theparagraph you want to align, orselect multiple paragraphs.

Click an alignment option in theParagraph group.

Shortcuts:

· To align left, Ctrl + L.

· To align right, Ctrl +R.

· To center, Ctrl + E.

· To justify, Ctrl + J.

Examples:

Borders and Shading

Adding borders and shading to paragraphs can make them more attractive, organized, and easy to read.

Add a BorderBorders are lines that you can add to the top, bottom, left, or right of paragraphs. They are especially usefulfor emphasizing headings.

Click in the paragraph whereyou want to add a border.

Tip: If you want to add thesame kind of border to severalparagraphs, select them all atonce.

Click the Borders menu arrow.

Select a border.

Tip: To remove a border, selectthe No Border option in theBorder menu.

Add ShadingChange the background color of a paragraph by adding shading.

Click in the paragraph whereyou want to add shading.

Tip: If you want to add thesame kind of border to severalparagraphs, select them all atonce.

Click the Shading menu arrow.

Select a shading color.

Tip: If the color you want to usedoes not appear in the list,select More Shading Colors tochoose from a larger array ofcolors.

Additional Border and Shading OptionsIf the options available on the Ribbon don't have what you're looking for, open the Borders and Shadingdialog box to see more options.

Click the Borders list arrow

Select Borders and Shading atthe bottom of the menu.

Use the options in the dialogbox to adjust the border andshading:

· To apply a border: Click theBorders tab, select yourborder options, and click theside(s) of the paragraph inthe Preview diagram whereyou want to apply theborders.

· To apply shading: Click theShading tab. Click the Fill listarrow and select the coloryou want to use.

Click OK when you’re done.

Tip: To add a pattern, click theStyle list arrow on the Shadingtab of the Borders and Shadingdialog box, select a patternstyle, then click the Color listarrow to select a pattern color.

Line and Paragraph Spacing

You can change the amount of space between your lines and paragraphs to give documents structure andimprove readability.

Change Line SpacingClick in the paragraph you wantto adjust, or select multipleparagraphs to change.

Click the Line Spacing button.

Select a spacing option.

Tip: For more spacing options,select Line Spacing Options toopen the Paragraph groupdialog box.

Change Paragraph SpacingIf you want to add space above and below the paragraph, adjust the paragraph spacing.

Click in the paragraph you wantto adjust, or select multipleparagraphs to change.

Click the Paragraph dialog boxlauncher.

Adjust the spacing.

· Before: Adds space abovethe paragraph.

· After: Adds space below theparagraph.

Tip: You can also adjust the linespacing here in the Paragraphdialog box.

Click OK when you’re done.

Tip: To remove paragraphspacing, change the spacingvalues to 0 pt in the Paragraphdialog box.

Copy Formatting

Once you get some text formatted just right, save yourself some time by copying the formatting to otherparts of the document. The format painter copies the character (like bolding, font color, or italics) andparagraph (like line spacing, indentation) formatting of the selected text so that you can quickly apply itsomewhere else.

Select the formatted text youwant to copy.

Tip: To copy paragraphformatting (such as line orparagraph spacing) as well astext formatting, select theentire paragraph you want tocopy.

Click the Format Painterbutton.

The cursor changes to apaintbrush.

Click and drag the formatpaintbrush across the text youwant to apply the formatting to.

Tip: To apply copied formattingto multiple areas, keep theformat painter turned on bydouble-clicking the FormatPainter button. Then selecteach area you want to apply theformatting to. Click the FormatPainter button again or pressEsc to turn the Format Painteroff when you’re done.

Indent Paragraphs

Indenting adds blank space between the page margin and the paragraph text. Long quotations, lists, andbibliographies are a few examples of paragraphs that are often indented.

Increase or Decrease IndentationClick anywhere in theparagraph you want to indent.

Click the Increase Indentbutton or the Decrease Indentbutton on the Home tab.

Custom Indentation OptionsClick the Paragraph dialog boxlauncher.

Adjust the indentation settings.

Click OK when you’re done, toclose the dialog box.

Shortcut: You can also click anddrag the Left Indent marker orthe Right Indent marker on theRuler to adjust where the textwill start and end on a line.

Left Indent marker on the Ruler.

Right Indent marker on the Ruler.

First Line and Hanging IndentsBesides the left and right indents, two special indents can be used in your paragraphs: hanging and first lineindents. A first line indentation lets you indent the first line of a paragraph independently of the other lines.Many people do this with a tab instead of changing the indent settings. In hanging indentation, the first lineof the paragraph stays put next to the left margin while the other lines in the paragraph are indented.Hanging indentations are often used in bibliographies or lists.

Click the Paragraph dialog boxlauncher.

Click the Special list arrow.

Select an option:

· First line lets you indent thefirst line of a paragraphindependently of the otherlines.

· Hanging makes the first lineof a paragraph stay next tothe left margin while theother lines in the paragraphare indented.

Enter the indent amount or usethe arrows to increase ordecrease it.

Click OK when you’re done.

Tab Stops

By using tab stops in your document, you can create uniformly spaced text. And unlike when you just add ina bunch of spaces, tabs ensure your text remains properly aligned. Each time you press the Tab key, thecursor moves to the next tab stop. By default, Word has left tab stops set at every half-inch, but you cancreate your own tab stops in a specific position or change the location of the existing tab stops.

Turn on Paragraph MarksBefore you start adjusting tab stops, make sure to turn on the paragraph marks. The symbols make it easy tosee what's going on in your document.

Click the Show/Hide Paragraphmarks button.

Each space is represented by adot, each backward-looking “P”is a new paragraph, and eacharrow is a tab.

Turn on the RulerThe easiest way to set tab stops is with the Ruler, so turn it on.

Click the View tab.

Check the Ruler checkbox.

Set Tabs with the RulerSelect the text you want toalign with tabs.

Select the tab stop you want touse.

The tab icon at the upper-leftshows the type of tab that'sactive. If you want somethingelse, click the icon to cyclethrough the available options.

Click on the ruler where youwant to place the tab stop.

The tab stop is added andeverything after the tab isaligned to it.

Tip: To adjust a tab stop on theRuler, click and drag the icon toa new location. To remove one,click and drag it off the Ruler.

Types of Tabs

3.14 3.14 3.14 3.14 ½ 3.14

Left Center Right Decimal Bar ½

Aligns the left sideof text with the tabstop.

Aligns the text sothat it is centeredunder the tab stop.

Aligns the right sideof text with the tabstop.

Aligns text andnumbers by decimalpoint.

A vertical linecharacter is insertedat the bar tab.

Set a Custom Tab StopIf you want to create an additional tab at an exact location, you can use a custom tab stop.

Click the Paragraph dialog boxlauncher on the Home tab.

Click the Tabs button.

Set a tab stop position.

Select the type of tab stop youwant to use in the Alignmentsection.

(Optional) If you want to fill thespace created by tabs, choosean option in the Leader sectionof the Tabs dialog box.

Click OK.

Tip: Click the Clear button inthe Tabs dialog box to removethe tab stop, or click the ClearAll button to remove all tabstops.

Find and Replace Formatting

If you have a lot of text throughout a document with the same format and it all needs to be updated, saveyourself some time by using the find and replace formatting feature.

Click the Replace button.

Click More to expand the dialogbox.

With the Find what field active,click the Format button.

Select the type of format youwant to replace.

Specify the formatting you wantto replace and click OK.

Click inside the Replace Withfield.

Click the Format button again.

Select the new type of formatyou want to use.

Specify the new formatting youwant to apply and click OK.

Word will search the documentfor text that has your “Findwhat” formatting applied.

Select a replacement option.

· Click Replace to replace justthe first item found.

· Click Replace All to replaceall instances.

Click OK to close the dialog box.

Click the Close button whenyou’re done.