Keeping text together in Word

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Keeping text together in Word

Keeping text together can be important -- having a single line of a paragraph sitting all alone at the top of a page can look awkward. Such stragglers are called widows and orphans, but you don't see them because widow and orphan (W&O) control is "on" by default. However, you may want to permit widows and orphans under certain circumstances -- for example, when you want exactly the same number of lines on a page, regardless of content.

Widows are the last line of a paragraph that would sit by itself at the top of the next page. Orphans are the first line of a paragraph that would sit at the bottom of a page. Word will always keep at least two lines of a paragraph on each page. If your paragraph is just three lines long, all the text will appear at the top of the next page. A four-line paragraph would be split evenly: two lines at the bottom of one page, the other two lines at the top of the next page.

To control widows and orphans:

1. Select the paragraph(s) for which you want widow and orphan control. To apply the control to the entire document, use the Edit/Select All command (or the Ctrl + A shortcut).
2. Use the Format/Paragraph command.
3. Choose the Line and Page Breaks tab.
4. Check the "Widow/Orphan control" box in the Pagination section to set the option on (prevent widows and orphans); uncheck the box to control widows and orphans manually.

Note: you must select the entire document to change the widow/orphan control in your document. Changing the option without selecting all the paragraphs changes the W&O option for the currently selected paragraph only (or the paragraph where the vertical I-beam is blinking).

Source: Dummies.com