> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://jjloomis.gitbook.io/adobe-indesign-basics-mac-os-edition/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://jjloomis.gitbook.io/adobe-indesign-basics-mac-os-edition/working-with-text/paragraph-formatting-controls.md).

# Paragraph Formatting Controls

| Control                         | How it works                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| ------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Justification Styles            | Click justification buttons to align text to left, right, or center of text box.                                                                                                                |
| Left Indent                     | Use the control box to adjust the amount of space between the left edge of the text box and the text within it.                                                                                 |
| First Line Left Indent          | Use the control box to adjust the amount of left indentation applied to the first line of each paragraph within the text box.                                                                   |
| Right Indent                    | Use the control box to adjust the amount of space between the right edge of the text box and the text within it.                                                                                |
| Last Line Right Indent          | Use the control box to adjust the amount of right indentation applied to the last line of each paragraph within the text box.                                                                   |
| Space Before                    | Use the control box to increase or decrease amount of space before a paragraph in the text box. Note: When all text in text box is selected, the space before each paragraph is applied evenly. |
| Drop Cap Number of Lines        | Use the control box to increase or decrease the size of the first letter of a paragraph.                                                                                                        |
| Space After                     | Use the control box to increase or decrease amount of space after a paragraph in the text box. Note: When all text in text box is selected, the space after each paragraph is applied evenly.   |
| Drop Cap One or More Characters | After applying Drop Cap Number of Lines, use the control box to increase or decrease the number of characters included in the drop cap.                                                         |
| Bulleted List                   | Select the text you would like to include in a bulleted list. Click the bulleted list button. Each paragraph in the selected text will have a bullet.                                           |
| Numbered List                   | Select the text you would like to include in a numbered list. Click the bulleted list button. Each paragraph in the selected text will have a sequential number.                                |
| Shading                         | Click the Shading checkbox to apply a color to the background of a selected paragraph. Use Shading color drop-down list to set color.                                                           |
| Shading Color                   |                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| Paragraph Style                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| Hyphenate                       | Select hyphenated line break text. Deselect Hyphenate checkbox to remove hyphenated line break.                                                                                                 |
| Do not align to baseline grid   | Removes Align to baseline grid feature (see below.)                                                                                                                                             |
| Align to baseline grid          | Aligns bottom of text to horizontal baseline guides. Note: This feature is off by default.                                                                                                      |
| Number of Columns               | Use control box to set the number of columns within a selected text box.                                                                                                                        |
| Gutter                          | Use control box to increase or decrease space between columns.                                                                                                                                  |
| Span Columns                    | Use drop-down list to set the number of columns a selected paragraph will span.                                                                                                                 |