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Line Breaks

Learn how to use line breaks effectively in captions for optimal readability.

Why Line Breaks Matter​

Proper line breaks:

  • Improve readability
  • Guide viewer's eye
  • Keep related words together
  • Prevent awkward splits

Line Break Rules​

1. Break at Natural Pauses​

✅ Good:

Hello and welcome
to today's video

❌ Bad:

Hello and
welcome to today's video

2. Keep Units Together​

Don't split:

  • Names: "Mary" / "Johnson"
  • Numbers: "twenty" / "five"
  • Phrases: "New" / "York"
  • Titles: "Dr." / "Smith"

3. Balance Line Length​

Try to keep lines similar length:

✅ Balanced:

Welcome to our channel
where we teach coding

❌ Unbalanced:

Welcome to our channel where we
teach coding

4. Don't Orphan Words​

Avoid single words on second line:

✅ Good:

This is how we create
professional captions

❌ Poor:

This is how we create professional
captions

Manual vs Auto Line Breaks​

Manual Line Breaks​

Press Enter to insert break:

  • Full control over positioning
  • Best for perfect formatting
  • More time-consuming

Auto Line Breaks​

Enable in settings:

  • Breaks at phrase boundaries
  • Balances line lengths
  • Faster, less control

Two-Line Captions​

Top-Heavy​

First line longer (traditional):

Welcome to our comprehensive guide
on creating captions

Bottom-Heavy​

Second line longer (modern):

Welcome to our guide
on creating professional captions

Balanced​

Equal length (recommended):

Welcome to our guide on
creating professional captions

Three-Line Captions​

Avoid when possible

If necessary:

  • Use only for long names/titles
  • Keep very brief
  • Reduce font size

Best Practices​

  1. Read aloud: Does break feel natural?
  2. Keep subjects with verbs
  3. Keep adjectives with nouns
  4. Don't split prepositional phrases
  5. Avoid breaking at conjunctions

Examples​

Dialogue​

[Sarah]: How are you doing today?
[Mike]: I'm doing great, thanks!

Long Sentences​

Instead of one long line:

We're going to learn how to create professional captions for your videos today

Split into two captions:

Caption 1: We're going to learn how to
           create professional captions

Caption 2: for your videos today

Or use line break:

We're going to learn how to create
professional captions for your videos