Typesetting the word flush left means to align text along the left margin of a page, otherwise known as left margin alignment or justification or even just ragged left alignment. With flush left alignment, the text sits flush against the left margin. Meanwhile, its right edge varies considerably from it – creating what is known as left alignment, justification, or jagged left effects.
Flush left is the go-to alignment for body text in print media, offering easy reading as its margins are straight. Meanwhile, its right margin is ragged – giving readers somewhere natural to rest their eyes as they read along the page.
Flush left alignment is most frequently employed for headings and subheadings, often by increasing font size or bolding text. When used for headings specifically, however, bold text often emphasizes them further.
Moreover, flush left alignment is not recommended when dealing with short lines of text, such as in a narrow column; its jagged right edge may become distracting and visible, potentially irritating to read.
Justifying text comes in many different formats, with flush left being one of the more prevalent methods. Justifying is achieved by aligning its edges with left and right margins; justified text is frequently found in newspapers and magazines.
Indenting the first line of a paragraph is common practice in academic and business writing; however, less so in everyday writing. An indented paragraph or hanging indent refers to its first line being indented while all subsequent lines remain flush left.
Reasons may arise for selecting an alternate alignment when writing. You may want to center a title or heading or make text appear more balanced across a page by justifying its edges with justification.
Flush left is one of the core aspects of typesetting. This technique ensures all text aligns along the left margin for an organized look and more straightforward reading of long blocks of text. Furthermore, the flush left makes adding additional elements, such as images or quotes, easy as they can easily align themselves alongside existing texts.