Formatting Issues

How to Fix Word Alignment for English and Arabic Text

Khadija Khan Oct 16, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user needs to correct the alignment of paragraphs in a document that mixes English and Arabic languages.

How to Fix Word Alignment for Mixed English and Arabic Text

Product: Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Editing a bilingual document containing both left-to-right and right-to-left text elements.
Observed behavior: Paragraph alignment appears reversed or visually broken because the text direction and alignment settings conflict with the language used.

Before you start

Identify which paragraphs in your document are primarily Arabic and which are English, as they will require different text direction settings.

Solution 1Recommended

Configure Text Direction and Alignment in Paragraph Settings

Manually set the appropriate text direction (Right-to-Left or Left-to-Right) and alignment for each language to ensure the layout formats correctly.

Word processes Arabic and English text differently. English relies on a Left-to-Right (LTR) direction, while Arabic requires a Right-to-Left (RTL) direction. When both are mixed, the default document settings may force one language to align backwards. Adjusting the Paragraph dialog properties resolves this conflict.

Select the English paragraphs

Highlight the sections of your document that contain primarily English text.

Open Paragraph settings

Right-click the highlighted text and select 'Paragraph' from the context menu, or click the small dialog launcher icon in the bottom-right corner of the Paragraph group on the Home tab.

Apply Left-to-Right formatting

Under the 'Indents and Spacing' tab, locate the 'Direction' section. Choose 'Left-to-Right'. Then, ensure the 'Alignment' dropdown is set to 'Left'. Click OK to apply.

Format the Arabic paragraphs

Now highlight the Arabic text in your document. Open the Paragraph settings again, change the 'Direction' to 'Right-to-Left', and set the 'Alignment' to 'Right'. Click OK.

Configure Text Direction and Alignment in Paragraph Settings

Quick Ribbon Access: If you frequently work with Arabic and English, you can add the 'Left-to-Right Text Direction' and 'Right-to-Left Text Direction' buttons directly to your Home ribbon or Quick Access Toolbar for one-click adjustments.

WPS Office Word Processor

Seamlessly Manage Multilingual Documents in WPS Writer

WPS Writer offers an intuitive, streamlined workspace for editing complex documents that mix Right-to-Left and Left-to-Right languages. You can quickly fix text direction and alignment without digging through complicated menus.

1. Open your document: Launch WPS Office and open your bilingual Word document in the WPS Writer application.
2. Select the mixed text: Highlight the paragraphs that are displaying reversed alignment.
3. Adjust text direction: Go to the Home tab and locate the Paragraph section. Click the 'Right-to-Left Text Direction' icon for Arabic text, or the 'Left-to-Right Text Direction' icon for English text.
4. Verify alignment: Use the standard Align Left or Align Right buttons on the Home tab to ensure the text anchors correctly to the page margins.

Built-in text direction controls tailored for Arabic, Hebrew, and English.Fully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) formatting and layouts.Clean, familiar user interface that requires no learning curve.Lightweight and free to use for daily word processing tasks.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does punctuation appear on the wrong side of my Arabic sentences?

This occurs when the paragraph text direction is set to Left-to-Right instead of Right-to-Left. Changing the paragraph direction to RTL will automatically move periods, commas, and parentheses to their correct logical positions at the end of the Arabic sentence.

Are there keyboard shortcuts to quickly switch between text directions?

Yes. In most word processors, you can press 'Ctrl + Left Shift' to switch the current paragraph to a Left-to-Right text direction, and 'Ctrl + Right Shift' to apply a Right-to-Left text direction.

How do I insert a single English word inside an Arabic paragraph without breaking the layout?

Ensure the overall paragraph is set to a Right-to-Left text direction with Right alignment. When you type English words within that paragraph, the software will automatically treat the English characters as Left-to-Right while maintaining the correct overall flow of the Arabic sentence.

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