Spacing & Layout
Change Line Spacing for One Paragraph or Quote in LaTeX
Theses are often double-spaced while block quotes must stay single-spaced. Wrap only that quote or paragraph in a setspace environment. Leave the preamble alone. How to use \setstretch for the whole document: /learn/line-spacing-latex.
Single-space a quote in a double-spaced paper
Set global \doublespacing in the preamble, then wrap the quote in singlespace. When the environment ends, the rest of the paper stays double-spaced:
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{setspace}
\doublespacing % whole document
\begin{document}
This body paragraph is double-spaced.
\begin{singlespace}
\begin{quote}
This block quote is single-spaced, which most thesis
classes expect even when the main text is double-spaced.
\end{quote}
\end{singlespace}
This paragraph returns to double spacing automatically.
\end{document}Custom local stretch with the spacing environment
For a multiplier on one paragraph only, use the spacing environment — not \setstretch (that command is for the whole document; see /learn/line-spacing-latex):
\usepackage{setspace}
% Tighter or looser for one block only:
\begin{spacing}{1.0}
\begin{quote}
``To be, or not to be, that is the question...''
\end{quote}
\end{spacing}
\begin{spacing}{0.9}
Compact caption-style or sidebar text.
\end{spacing}💡 Tips
- •Block quotes in double-spaced theses are typically single-spaced — wrap them in \begin{singlespace}.
- •You can also wrap one paragraph in \begin{onehalfspace} or \begin{doublespace} if the rest of the paper uses a different setting.
- •How to use \setstretch for the whole document: /learn/line-spacing-latex.
- •Bibby AI's formatting toolbar can change spacing for selected text without wrapping environments by hand.
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