Intermediate
60 mins
Teacher/Student led
+80 XP
Pupils work on their own device

Text Formatting: Fonts, Sizes, Emphasis

Learn to format vocational documents with appropriate fonts, sizes and emphasis. Compare noisy and clean versions of a sample paragraph before applying clean formatting to your proposal draft. Understand the less-is-more rule for professional appearance.

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    1 - Introduction ~5 mins

    Today you will

    • format a short practice page
    • make your {{code:03_proposal_draft}} look clean and easy to read

    Illustration for IntroductionIf you don't have {{code:03_proposal_draft}} yet, make a new document with that name in {{code:03_documents}}. Then finish these three lines in your own words.

    I want to…

    It is for…

    My first target is…

    Warm-up

    Think of a flyer you scrolled past without reading. Was the idea bad, or was every word shouting in a different colour?

    2 - Key Concepts ~6 mins

    The body font is the one clear font for your main text, such as Calibri or Arial at 12 pt.

    A heading is a bigger, bold line that starts a section, such as 16 pt bold.

    Emphasis means making one phrase bold or italic so the reader notices it.

    Less is more means using few formatting tools, because too much colour and underline looks messy.

    Example

    In a sentence about your sales target, bold only the words "ten confirmed orders".

    Watch out

    Today your proposal stays black, with no underline.

    3 - Step-by-step Task ~15 mins

    You will make a short practice page about a GAA scarf business and format it so it looks clean. Follow the steps in the box below. The steps marked Extra are only for when you finish early.

    Tip

    Always select the text first, so it is highlighted blue, before you click a formatting button.

    You can copy this text instead of typing it.

    Custom GAA scarf embroidery plan

    I plan to start a small custom embroidery business making personalised GAA club scarves for local clubs. My first-month goal is ten confirmed orders so I can prove the idea works before I spend more on stock.

    4 - Common Issues ~2 mins

    Common problems

    • Bold did nothing. Select the text first so it is highlighted, then click {{btn:B}}.
    • Everything went bold. Press {{kbd:Ctrl+Z}} to undo, then select only the words you want.
    • My font list looks different. That's fine. Pick any plain font, like Arial or Calibri.

    5 - Portfolio Build ~22 mins

    Portfolio Build

    Your goal: Make {{code:03_proposal_draft}} look clean and easy to read.
    Time: ~25 minutes
    Task:
    1. Open {{code:03_documents}}, then {{code:03_proposal_draft}}. Keep the same file and name.
    2. Set all the main text to one clear font at 12 pt.
    3. Make the main heading 16 pt and bold.
    4. Make one phrase bold or italic. Pick the phrase with your key target or decision.
    5. Check that the file shows as saved.

    Do not use underline or colour on this file.

    Success criteria:
    • My body text uses one clear font at 12 pt.
    • My heading stands out.
    • Only one phrase is bold or italic.
    • There is no underline or colour, and the file is saved.
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