Think of layout as the "architecture" of a document — it's not about what the words say,
it's about where things sit on the page. Good layout makes a document easy to scan; bad layout
buries important information in a wall of text.
Key Idea
Layout = how content is positioned on a page. It changes the overall look and feel
of a document without necessarily changing the words themselves.
Headings & Sub-headings
Headings and sub-headings act like signposts. A reader skimming a document should be able to find
the section they need just by looking at the headings — without reading every paragraph.
- Make documents consistent (every "Heading 1" looks the same everywhere)
- Predetermined styles can control size, colour, and font automatically
- Because headings are tagged as "Heading 1", "Heading 2" etc., word processors can use them to auto-generate an index/table of contents — this only works if you use proper heading styles, not just bold text!
Lists
Lists (bulleted or numbered) break information into short, digestible chunks instead of dense paragraphs.
- Present information clearly and concisely
- Help readers find key points without wading through paragraphs
Templates
A template is a pre-built document skeleton — headings, fonts, colours, and spacing are already decided
for you, so you just fill in content.
- Streamlines document production, saving time
- Comes with pre-set formatting
- Helps create a consistent look and feel across many documents (e.g. every company report looks the same)
Orientation
Whether the page is tall (portrait) or wide (landscape). Portrait suits
letters and essays; landscape suits wide tables or images.
Breaks
Breaks divide information into manageable chunks to control layout and organisation. There are three
types you need to know, and they are not the same thing — this is a classic exam mix-up.
| Break Type | What it does | Typical use |
|---|
| Page break |
Forces content onto a new page even if there's still space on the current one |
Starting a new chapter; keeping a table/graphic together instead of split across two pages |
| Column break |
Divides a page into multiple columns |
Newsletters, brochures, formatting for easier on-screen viewing |
| Section break |
differently
|
Practice Question