Adjusting Spacing After a Paragraph

If you use a typewriter, or even some rudimentary word processors, to add space between paragraphs you simply press the Enter key a few times. While you can also do this in Word, the program gives you much greater control over the spacing between paragraphs—if you choose to use it. To modify the amount of space left between the end of one paragraph and the start of the next, follow these steps:

1. Position the insertion point in the paragraph that you want to adjust spacing after.
2. Make sure the Home of the ribbon is displayed.
3. Click the small icon at the bottom-right of the Paragraph group. Word displays the Paragraph dialog box. (Click here to see a related figure.)
4. Change the amount in the After box to reflect how much space you want to leave after the current paragraph.
5. Click on OK.

If you are using a version of Word prior to Word 2007, follow these steps instead:

1. Make sure the insertion point is in the paragraph that you want to adjust spacing after.
2. Choose the Paragraph option from the Format menu. Word displays the Paragraph dialog box.
3. Change the amount in the After box to reflect how much space you want to leave after the current paragraph.
4. Click on OK.

To adjust the value in the After box, you can use the up and down arrows to the right of the box, or you can enter a value directly. Values can be entered in any of the standard measurements accepted by Word.