# Microsoft Word question.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-question/614833>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 5, 2012, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-question/614833 "2012-03-05T17:02:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2012, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-question/614833/1 "2012-03-05T17:02:15Z")

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I am working on a standard document in Word.  
It wasn’t a new one, just one that I had, and saved using a different “Save As” name. So, I’m typing along, making about 2 pages of text. Finally, I looked up and saw that about 5 lines were indented, as if in a paragraph mode/style. I highlighted the selected text, and clicked the Right Justify Icon, and it didn’t go to the left. I left the text highlighted, and back spaced the text/top line, and backspaced. It took it to the line above, rather than to the left hand margin.  
So, what did I fail to do to get the last 5 lines aligned with the above?

Thanks,  
hh

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**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2012, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-question/614833/2 "2012-03-05T17:14:48Z")

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Turn on the ruler and move the paragraph indent back to the left margin edge. It’s that thing that looks like an hourglass with a moveable top and bottom.

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**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2012, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-question/614833/3 "2012-03-05T17:15:47Z")

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Just above your document, you should see something that looks like a ruler. It’s will have some gray arrows in it. Where are the arrows?

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**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2012, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-question/614833/4 "2012-03-05T17:19:49Z")

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That did 'er!  
Thanks, **Chessic Sense** and \*\*tdn. \*\*

hh

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**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2012, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-question/614833/5 "2012-03-05T17:34:49Z")

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Uh, oh!  
New problem: the next line I started to type, went totally all the way to the left of the sheet.  
What’s my next step?  
Thanks,  
hh

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**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2012, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-question/614833/6 "2012-03-05T17:36:32Z")

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Never mind!  
Found the top half of the hourglass!  
thanks, hh

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**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2012, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-question/614833/7 "2012-03-05T19:47:11Z")

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That’s pretty handy once you get used to using it. I use it a lot to set off lengthy quoted passages with right and left indents; it’s also good for hanging indents and stuff like that.