Understanding Paragraph Formats

In Word, a paragraph is also a formatting unit. Just as you format individual characters with character formatting options, such as bold and italic, you can format paragraphs with paragraph, tab, and border formatting options, such as the following:

• Alignment. Line up the text of a paragraph to the left, center, right, or both margins.

• Indents. Indent the left edge, right edge, or first line of a paragraph.

• Tabs. Create columns of text that line up perfectly and can be adjusted easily.

• Spacing. Add spaces between lines and paragraphs.

• Lines, borders, and shading. Add graphic interest to paragraphs with lines next to paragraphs, borders surrounding paragraphs, and shading to fill a border.