Be able to place text or objects in a table

Layout – Placing Text or Objects in a Table

Learning Objective

By the end of this lesson you should be able to:

• Insert a table into a document.
• Place text, images, or other objects into specific cells.
• Merge and split cells to achieve the required layout.
• Align content horizontally and vertically within cells.

Why Use Tables for Layout?

Tables provide a grid of rows and columns that can be used to organise information clearly. They are especially useful when you need to:

• Display data in a structured format.
• Align text and objects side‑by‑side without manual spacing.
• Create simple page layouts such as newsletters, flyers or forms.

Creating a Basic Table

1. Open the document editor (e.g., Microsoft Word, LibreOffice Writer).
2. Choose Insert → Table and specify the number of rows and columns required.
3. The table appears with a default grid of empty cells.

Placing Text in Cells

Click inside a cell and start typing. Press Tab to move to the next cell on the right, or Shift+Tab to move left.

Placing Objects (Images, Shapes, Charts) in Cells

1. Select the cell where the object should appear.
2. Insert the object using the appropriate menu (e.g., Insert → Picture).
3. The object becomes anchored to that cell, moving with the table if it is resized.

Merging and Splitting Cells

To create larger areas for headings or images:

• Select the adjacent cells you wish to combine.
• Choose Table Tools → Layout → Merge Cells.
• To split a merged cell, place the cursor inside it and select Split Cells, specifying the desired rows and columns.

Aligning Content Within Cells

Alignment controls how text or objects sit inside a cell.

• Horizontal alignment: left, centre, right.
• Vertical alignment: top, middle, bottom.
• These options are usually found under Table Tools → Layout → Alignment.

Example Layout

The following table demonstrates a simple newsletter layout with a heading that spans the top, an image on the left, and text on the right.

Checklist for a Correct Table Layout

• All required rows and columns are present.
• Text and objects are placed in the intended cells.
• Necessary cells are merged for headings or large images.
• Horizontal and vertical alignment matches the design brief.
• The table fits within the page margins without unwanted line breaks.

Practice Task

Create a table for a school timetable with the following specifications:

1. Five columns – one for the period label, four for subjects.
2. Six rows – one header row and five rows for periods 1‑5.
3. Merge the header cells to display the title “Year 9 Timetable”.
4. Insert the school logo into the top‑left cell of the header (use a placeholder).
5. Align all subject names centre‑horizontally and middle‑vertically.

Summary

Tables are a powerful tool for arranging text and objects in a clear, grid‑based layout. Mastery of inserting tables, placing content, merging cells, and aligning items will enable you to produce professional‑looking documents for the IGCSE ICT exam and real‑world tasks.