A word processor like MS Word does far more than type text — it lets you format and lay out documents beautifully, from a letter to an illustrated newsletter. This chapter covers the layout and graphics tools.
1Text & paragraph formatting
You already know basic text formatting — font type, size, colour, B/I/U, and alignment (left/center/right/justify). Paragraph formatting controls spacing and looks:
| Tool | Does |
|---|---|
| Line spacing | Gap between lines within a paragraph (1.0, 1.5, 2.0) |
| Paragraph spacing | Gap before/after a whole paragraph |
| Borders | A box around text or a paragraph |
| Shading | A background colour behind text/a paragraph |
Key points
- Text formatting: font type/size/colour, B/I/U, and alignment.
- Line spacing is the gap between lines; paragraph spacing is the gap before/after a paragraph.
- Borders put a box around text; shading adds a background colour.
2Page setup & headers/footers
Page setup controls the whole page:
| Setting | Means |
|---|---|
| Orientation | Portrait (tall) or Landscape (wide) |
| Margins | The blank space around the edges |
| Paper size | A4, Letter, etc. |
| Page border | A decorative border around the whole page |
Headers, footers & page numbers
- Header — repeating text at the TOP of every page (a title).
- Footer — repeating text at the BOTTOM (your name).
- Page numbers — added automatically to every page.
Key points
- Orientation is Portrait (tall) or Landscape (wide); margins are the blank edges; paper size is A4/Letter.
- A header repeats at the top of each page, a footer at the bottom.
- Page numbers can be added automatically to every page.
3Columns, breaks & graphics
Columns split text into two or more side-by-side columns (like a newspaper or newsletter). A page break forces the next text onto a new page.
Adding graphics
| Graphic | What it is |
|---|---|
| WordArt | Fancy, decorative text |
| Shapes | Arrows, boxes, stars you draw |
| SmartArt | Ready-made diagrams (lists, cycles, hierarchies) |
| ClipArt / Images | Pictures from a gallery or your own files |
A great newsletter combines columns of text with a WordArt title and a couple of images — making the page look professional.
Key points
- Columns split text into side-by-side columns; a page break forces text to a new page.
- Graphics: WordArt (fancy text), Shapes (drawings), SmartArt (ready diagrams), ClipArt/Images (pictures).
- Combine columns + WordArt + images to design a newsletter.
★ Practical: a newsletter
In Word, design a one-page newsletter that:
- Has a WordArt title and the body split into two columns.
- Uses 1.5 line spacing and a page border.
- Has a header with the newsletter name and page numbers in the footer.
- Includes one image and one SmartArt diagram.
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