By default, how does Word align paragraphs?

By default, Microsoft Word aligns paragraphs to the left. This alignment means that the text starts from the left margin, creating a straight edge on the left side of the paragraph, while the right side remains uneven or ragged. This is the most common alignment used in documents because it enhances readability, allowing for a natural flow of text from left to right, which is particularly important for languages that are read this way.

The default left alignment focuses on guiding the reader's eyes smoothly along the lines of text, making it easier to engage with the content. In contrast, right alignment would position text starting from the right margin, center alignment places the text centrally, and justified alignment spreads the text so that both left and right margins are aligned, which may create uneven spacing between words. Hence, left alignment is the standard approach used in the majority of documents created in Word.