> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://overleaf-pro.ayaka.space/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://overleaf-pro.ayaka.space/latex/formatting/06-text-alignment.md). # Text alignment ## Introduction By default, LaTeX typesets text as fully-justified, but occasionally left-aligned or "ragged right" text (for right-to-left languages) may be more appropriate—such as text within narrow columns. This article explains how to change text alignment for parts, or all, of your document using LaTeX's built-in features and the package `ragged2e`. ## The standard LaTeX commands and environments LaTeX does have built-in commands for changing the typeset alignment of text: * ragged-right (`\raggedright`) * ragged-left (`\raggedleft`) * centred (`\centering`) together with corresponding environments: * ragged-right (`flushleft` environment) * ragged-left (`flushright` environment) * centred (`centering` environment) However, the [`ragged2e` package](https://ctan.org/pkg/ragged2e?lang=en) provides some refinements which improve upon these standard LaTeX commands and environments. ## Using the package ragged2e To start with, here is an example using the `ragged2e` package and its `[document]` option to typeset the *entire document text* as ragged-right (left-aligned). The sample code adds the line ```latex \usepackage[document]{ragged2e} ``` to the document preamble: ```latex \documentclass{article} \usepackage[document]{ragged2e} \begin{document} \section{Heading on Level 1 (section)} Hello, here is some text without a meaning. This text should show what a printed text will look like at this place. If you read this text, you will get no information. Really? Is there no information? Is there a difference between this text and some nonsense like not at all! A blind text like this gives you information about the selected font, how the letters are written and an impression of the look. \end{document} ``` [Open this `ragged2e` example in Overleaf](https://www.overleaf.com/docs?engine=pdflatex\&snip_name=Example+using+ragged2e+package\&snip=%5Cdocumentclass%7Barticle%7D%0A%5Cusepackage%5Bdocument%5D%7Bragged2e%7D%0A%0A%5Cbegin%7Bdocument%7D%0A%5Csection%7BHeading+on+Level+1+%28section%29%7D%0AHello%2C+here+is+some+text+without+a+meaning.+This+text+should+show+what+a+printed+text+will+look+like+at+this+place.++If+you+read+this+text%2C+you+will+get+no+information.++Really%3F++Is+there+no+information%3F++Is+there+a+difference+between+this+text+and+some+nonsense+like+not+at+all%21++A+blind+text+like+this+gives+you+information+about+the+selected+font%2C+how+the+letters+are+written+and+an+impression+of+the+look.%0A%5Cend%7Bdocument%7D) This example produces the following output: ![Ragged2eOLV21.png](/files/ZFrkT2kpa9xuc3kJ7qvp) ## Comparing \raggedright (LaTeX) vs \RaggedRight (ragged2e) The LaTeX command `\raggedright` sometimes produces results that appear to look "too ragged". The package `ragged2e` tackles this problem by allowing hyphenation when a line is too short, generating a more uniformly ragged text-edge. The following example shows ragged-right text produced via the LaTeX command `\raggedright` and, for comparison, the same text typeset using the `\RaggedRight` command provided by `ragged2e`: ```latex \documentclass{article} \usepackage[english]{babel} \usepackage{ragged2e} \usepackage{blindtext} \begin{document} \setlength{\hsize}{0.9\hsize}% emphasize effects \subsection*{Left-aligned example with \texttt{\string\raggedright}\\ (standard \LaTeX{} command)} \raggedright\blindtext[2]\par \subsection*{Left-aligned example with \texttt{\string\RaggedRight}\\ (\texttt{ragged2e} command)} \RaggedRight\blindtext[2]\par \end{document} ``` [Open this example in Overleaf](https://www.overleaf.com/docs?engine=pdflatex\&snip_name=Demonstrating+left-aligned+text\&snip=%5Cdocumentclass%7Barticle%7D%0A%5Cusepackage%5Benglish%5D%7Bbabel%7D%0A%5Cusepackage%7Bragged2e%7D%0A%5Cusepackage%7Bblindtext%7D%0A%0A%5Cbegin%7Bdocument%7D%0A%5Csetlength%7B%5Chsize%7D%7B0.9%5Chsize%7D%25+emphasize+effects%0A%0A%5Csubsection%2A%7BLeft-aligned+example+with+%0A%5Ctexttt%7B%5Cstring%5Craggedright%7D%5C%5C+%28standard+%5CLaTeX%7B%7D+command%29%7D%0A%5Craggedright%5Cblindtext%5B2%5D%5Cpar%0A%0A%5Csubsection%2A%7BLeft-aligned+example+with+%5Ctexttt%7B%5Cstring%5CRaggedRight%7D%5C%5C+%28%5Ctexttt%7Bragged2e%7D+command%29%7D%0A%5CRaggedRight%5Cblindtext%5B2%5D%5Cpar+%0A%5Cend%7Bdocument%7D) ![Leftaligncompare2.png](/files/YyizNDhim02yRzmTDKbb) As discussed in the `ragged2e` [package documentation](https://mirror.ox.ac.uk/sites/ctan.org/macros/latex/contrib/ragged2e/ragged2e.pdf), `ragged2e` provides alternative commands and environments for modifying text alignment and we'll take a look at some of these. ## Environments for ragged-right (aligned-left) text The default LaTeX environment for producing ragged-right text is `flushleft`. The equivalent in `ragged2e` is called `FlushLeft` (note capitalization). The following example compares the output of those environments: ```latex \documentclass{article} \usepackage[english]{babel} \usepackage{ragged2e} \usepackage{blindtext} \begin{document} \setlength{\hsize}{0.9\hsize}% emphasize effects \subsection*{\texttt{flushleft} environment: (standard \LaTeX{})} \begin{flushleft} \blindtext[1] \end{flushleft} \subsection*{\texttt{FlushLeft} environment: (\texttt{ragged2e})} \begin{FlushLeft} \blindtext[1] \end{FlushLeft} \end{document} ``` [Open this example in Overleaf](https://www.overleaf.com/docs?engine=pdflatex\&snip_name=Demonstrating+left-aligned+text\&snip=%5Cdocumentclass%7Barticle%7D%0A%5Cusepackage%5Benglish%5D%7Bbabel%7D%0A%5Cusepackage%7Bragged2e%7D%0A%5Cusepackage%7Bblindtext%7D%0A%5Cbegin%7Bdocument%7D%0A%5Csetlength%7B%5Chsize%7D%7B0.9%5Chsize%7D%25+emphasize+effects%0A%0A%5Csubsection%2A%7B%5Ctexttt%7Bflushleft%7D+environment%3A+%28standard+%5CLaTeX%7B%7D%29%7D%0A%0A%5Cbegin%7Bflushleft%7D%0A%5Cblindtext%5B1%5D%0A%5Cend%7Bflushleft%7D%0A%0A%5Csubsection%2A%7B%5Ctexttt%7BFlushLeft%7D+environment%3A+%28%5Ctexttt%7Bragged2e%7D%29%7D%0A%0A%5Cbegin%7BFlushLeft%7D%0A%5Cblindtext%5B1%5D%0A%5Cend%7BFlushLeft%7D%0A%0A%5Cend%7Bdocument%7D) ![Flcompare.png](/files/V6io11q377mKFkhusFFz) ## Environments for ragged-left (right-aligned) text The default LaTeX environment for producing ragged-left (right-aligned) text is `flushright`. The equivalent in `ragged2e` is called `FlushRight` (note capitalization). The following example compares the output of those environments: ```latex \documentclass{article} \usepackage[english]{babel} \usepackage{ragged2e} \usepackage{blindtext} \begin{document} \setlength{\hsize}{0.9\hsize}% emphasize effects \subsection*{\texttt{flushright} environment: (standard \LaTeX{})} \begin{flushright} \blindtext[1] \end{flushright} \subsection*{\texttt{FlushRight} environment: (\texttt{ragged2e})} \begin{FlushRight} \blindtext[1] \end{FlushRight} \end{document} ``` [Open this example in Overleaf](https://www.overleaf.com/docs?engine=pdflatex\&snip_name=Demonstrating+right-aligned+text\&snip=%5Cdocumentclass%7Barticle%7D%0A%5Cusepackage%5Benglish%5D%7Bbabel%7D%0A%5Cusepackage%7Bragged2e%7D%0A%5Cusepackage%7Bblindtext%7D%0A%5Cbegin%7Bdocument%7D%0A%5Csetlength%7B%5Chsize%7D%7B0.9%5Chsize%7D%25+emphasize+effects%0A%0A%5Csubsection%2A%7B%5Ctexttt%7Bflushright%7D+environment%3A+%28standard+%5CLaTeX%7B%7D%29%7D%0A%0A%5Cbegin%7Bflushright%7D%0A%5Cblindtext%5B1%5D%0A%5Cend%7Bflushright%7D%0A%0A%5Csubsection%2A%7B%5Ctexttt%7BFlushRight%7D+environment%3A+%28%5Ctexttt%7Bragged2e%7D%29%7D%0A%0A%5Cbegin%7BFlushRight%7D%0A%5Cblindtext%5B1%5D%0A%5Cend%7BFlushRight%7D%0A%0A%5Cend%7Bdocument%7D) ![FRcompare.png](/files/thPGSBgVeQdPanhhIIaO) ## Environments to centre text The default LaTeX environment for producing centred text is `center`. The equivalent in `ragged2e` is called `Center` (note capitalization). The following example compares the output of those environments: ```latex \documentclass{article} \usepackage[english]{babel} \usepackage{ragged2e} \usepackage{blindtext} \begin{document} \setlength{\hsize}{0.9\hsize}% emphasize effects \subsection*{\texttt{center} environment: (standard \LaTeX{})} \begin{center} \blindtext[1] \end{center} \subsection*{\texttt{Center} environment: (\texttt{ragged2e})} \begin{Center} \blindtext[1] \end{Center} \end{document} ``` [Open this example in Overleaf](https://www.overleaf.com/docs?engine=pdflatex\&snip_name=Demonstrating+right-aligned+text\&snip=%5Cdocumentclass%7Barticle%7D%0A%5Cusepackage%5Benglish%5D%7Bbabel%7D%0A%5Cusepackage%7Bragged2e%7D%0A%5Cusepackage%7Bblindtext%7D%0A%5Cbegin%7Bdocument%7D%0A%5Csetlength%7B%5Chsize%7D%7B0.9%5Chsize%7D%25+emphasize+effects%0A%0A%5Csubsection%2A%7B%5Ctexttt%7Bcenter%7D+environment%3A+%28standard+%5CLaTeX%7B%7D%29%7D%0A%0A%5Cbegin%7Bcenter%7D%0A%5Cblindtext%5B1%5D%0A%5Cend%7Bcenter%7D%0A%0A%5Csubsection%2A%7B%5Ctexttt%7BCenter%7D+environment%3A+%28%5Ctexttt%7Bragged2e%7D%29%7D%0A%5Cbegin%7BCenter%7D%0A%5Cblindtext%5B1%5D%0A%5Cend%7BCenter%7D%0A%5Cend%7Bdocument%7D) ![Centrecompare.png](/files/7c8sDVE9Hl6QjDc2T182) ## Fully justified text The package `ragged2e` provides the command `\justifying` which you can use as shown in the example below: ```latex \documentclass{article} \usepackage[english]{babel} \usepackage{ragged2e} \usepackage{blindtext} \begin{document} \setlength{\hsize}{0.9\hsize}% emphasize effects \Centering \blindtext[1] \vspace{5mm} \justifying \blindtext[1] \end{document} ``` [Open this example in Overleaf](https://www.overleaf.com/docs?engine=pdflatex\&snip_name=Demonstrating+justification+with+ragged2e\&snip=%5Cdocumentclass%7Barticle%7D%0A%5Cusepackage%5Benglish%5D%7Bbabel%7D%0A%5Cusepackage%7Bragged2e%7D%0A%5Cusepackage%7Bblindtext%7D%0A%5Cbegin%7Bdocument%7D%0A%5Csetlength%7B%5Chsize%7D%7B0.9%5Chsize%7D%25+emphasize+effects%0A%0A%5CCentering%0A%5Cblindtext%5B1%5D%0A%0A%5Cvspace%7B5mm%7D%0A%5Cjustifying%0A%5Cblindtext%5B1%5D+%0A%5Cend%7Bdocument%7D) ![Justifyingdemo.png](/files/JPgNY1WOdoLfV4AvdsdP) ## Reference guide **Summary of environments and commands for text alignment** | Alignment | Environment | Switch command | ragged2e environment | ragged2e switch command | | --------------- | ------------ | -------------- | -------------------- | ----------------------- | | Left | `flushleft` | `\raggedright` | `FlushLeft` | `\RaggedRight` | | Right | `flushright` | `\raggedleft` | `FlushRight` | `\RaggedLeft` | | Centre | `center` | `\centering` | `Center` | `\Centering` | | Fully justified | | | `justify` | `\justifying` | ## Further reading For more information see : * [Paragraphs and new lines](/latex/latex-basics/02-paragraphs-and-new-lines.md) * [Paragraph formatting](/latex/formatting/04-articles-how-to-change-paragraph-spacing-in-latex.md) * [Bold, italics and underlining](/latex/latex-basics/03-bold-italics-and-underlining.md) * [Font sizes, families, and styles](/latex/fonts/01-font-sizes-families-and-styles.md) * [Font typefaces](/latex/fonts/02-font-typefaces.md) * [Supporting modern fonts with XeLaTeX](/latex/fonts/03-xelatex.md) * [Line breaks and blank spaces](/latex/formatting/05-line-breaks-and-blank-spaces.md) * [Lists](/latex/latex-basics/04-lists.md) * [Sections and chapters](/latex/document-structure/01-sections-and-chapters.md) * [Multiple columns](/latex/formatting/09-multiple-columns.md) * [Single sided and double sided documents](/latex/formatting/08-single-sided-and-double-sided-documents.md) * [The not so short introduction to LaTeX2ε](http://www.ctan.org/tex-archive/info/lshort/) * [The ragged2e package documentation](http://mirror.hmc.edu/ctan/macros/latex/contrib/ms/ragged2e.pdf) --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. 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