Generally, line spacing (line spacing: The amount of space from the bottom of one line of text to the bottom of the next line. Microsoft Word adjusts the line spacing to accommodate the largest font or the tallest graphic in that line.) varies depending on the font and point size of the text in each line. If a line contains a character that is larger than the surrounding text, such as a graphic or a formula, Microsoft Word increases the spacing for that line.

However, if you have specified exact line spacing on the Indents and Spacing tab (Paragraph dialog box, Format menu) that is too small to accommodate large text or graphics, the graphics or text will appear clipped. To see the entire graphic or text, increase the spacing in the At box, or select an option other than Exactly in the Line spacing box.

If you delete a paragraph mark (), the paragraph following the mark will merge with the previous paragraph and take on its spacing. If you want to restore the original formatting, click Undo on the Standard toolbar (toolbar: A bar with buttons and options that you use to carry out commands. To display a toolbar, press ALT and then SHIFT+F10.).

If you select two or more paragraphs that have different formats, Microsoft Word can't display the different settings at the same time. On the horizontal ruler (horizontal ruler: A bar marked off in units of measure (such as inches) that is displayed across the top of the document window.), indent and tab markers that appear dimmed show the settings for the first paragraph in the selection. To apply a format to several selected paragraphs that have different formats, you can still adjust the ruler settings, click toolbar buttons, and select dimmed or blank options in the Paragraph dialog box.

Certain vertical alignment settings can change the amount of spacing in between paragraphs. If the vertical alignment is centered, then Microsoft Word moves the paragraphs to the center of the page. If the vertical alignment is justified, then Word distributes the paragraphs so that they fill up the vertical space.

To check vertical alignment, click Page Setup on the File menu, and then click the Layout tab. Under Page, note the setting for Vertical Alignment.