# Elements and formatting > What each screenplay element is, how Plot decides which one a line is, and every way to change a line's type without leaving the keyboard. Jump to a section on the website - [The elements](https://www.inkwell.software/help/writing/elements-and-formatting#section-the-elements) - [Changing a line's type](https://www.inkwell.software/help/writing/elements-and-formatting#section-changing-a-line-s-type) - [Suggestions as you type](https://www.inkwell.software/help/writing/elements-and-formatting#section-suggestions-as-you-type) - [Dual dialogue](https://www.inkwell.software/help/writing/elements-and-formatting#section-dual-dialogue) - [Scene numbers](https://www.inkwell.software/help/writing/elements-and-formatting#section-scene-numbers) - [Dialogue continuations](https://www.inkwell.software/help/writing/elements-and-formatting#section-dialogue-continuations) - [Writer commands](https://www.inkwell.software/help/writing/elements-and-formatting#section-writer-commands) In Plot every line has an element type, and the type decides the formatting: where the line sits on the page, whether it is capitalized, how much space follows it. You never format by hand; you change the type, and the page follows industry layout. ## The elements | Element | What it is | Plot recognizes it when | | ------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- | | Scene heading | Where and when — `INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT` | A line starts with INT., EXT., or the other standard prefixes | | Action | What we see and hear | The default for any line that is not something else | | Character cue | Who is about to speak | An all-caps line followed by dialogue | | Dialogue | What they say | The line after a character cue | | Parenthetical | A short direction inside dialogue — `(beat)` | A line in parentheses after a cue | | Transition | `CUT TO:`, `FADE OUT.` | An all-caps line ending in a colon | | Centered | Text centered on the page — `THE END` | Set by shortcut | | Section | A structural label for you, not the reader — an act or sequence marker | Set by shortcut; never exported to the script | ## Changing a line's type Three ways, all from the keyboard: - `Tab` on an empty line cycles to the next likely element. After a character cue, `Enter` already gives you dialogue and `Enter` again gives you the next cue, so most scenes need no Tab at all. - The number shortcuts set a type directly: `⌘⌥1` / `Ctrl+Alt+1` scene heading, `⌘⌥2` / `Ctrl+Alt+2` action, `⌘⌥3` / `Ctrl+Alt+3` character, `⌘⌥4` / `Ctrl+Alt+4` dialogue, `⌘⌥5` / `Ctrl+Alt+5` parenthetical, `⌘⌥6` / `Ctrl+Alt+6` transition, `⌘⌥7` / `Ctrl+Alt+7` centered, `⌘⌥8` / `Ctrl+Alt+8` section. - The element menu in the toolbar shows the current type and lets you pick another. ## Suggestions as you type When you type a character cue, a location or time of day in a scene heading, a transition, a cue extension, or a parenthetical, Plot lists matching suggestions. Characters already in the current scene come first. When two characters have been trading lines, a new blank cue shows a **Suggested reply** with the character who answers next; nothing is filled in until you accept it, and typing another name shows the usual list. Press `↑` and `↓` to choose. `Enter` fills the suggestion and starts the next line: dialogue after a cue, cue extension or parenthetical; action after a heading or transition. `→` or a tap fills the suggestion and keeps you on that line. `Esc` closes the list. If you have already typed a character's full name, `Enter` keeps it and starts dialogue. For example, with both ANN and ANNA in your script, typing `ANN` and pressing `Enter` keeps ANN; choose ANNA explicitly to use the longer name. Existing heading times and cue extensions stay on the completed line. Undo reverses completion and the new line together. Plot also suggests familiar location-and-time combinations from your script. Choose a remembered heading to fill both together; location-only suggestions let you choose the time yourself. After a complete known location, `Enter` starts action with that location; choose a remembered heading explicitly to add its time. For parentheticals, Plot suggests directions you have already written elsewhere in the script. The directions you use most come first, then those used most recently. Choose one to reuse its wording, including casing, names, and interior parentheses. To open the list yourself, or reopen it after you close it, put the caret at the end of a line that takes suggestions and press `⌃␣` / `Ctrl+Space`. You can also choose **Browse writing suggestions** in the command palette, or right-click and choose **Browse suggestions**. Type any word of a remembered name, heading, or direction to narrow the list. Open **Settings → Editor → Script intelligence** to turn **Writing suggestions** or **Remembered scene headings** on or off. These preferences apply on this device. ## Dual dialogue Two characters speaking at once sit side by side. Write both cues and speeches one after the other, put the cursor in the first character's cue or speech, and press `⌘D` / `Ctrl+D`; press it again to separate them. ## Scene numbers When a production draft needs scene references, open **Document settings** from the **Document** sidebar or the command palette. On the **Script** tab, **Scene numbering** shows how many scenes are numbered and previews the first changes; **Apply numbering** numbers the missing ones. Existing numbers stay unchanged, and scenes inserted between numbered headings receive lettered numbers such as `24A`. **Other numbering actions** renumbers every scene from a starting number or clears the numbers, after you confirm. Undo reverses any of these in one step. **Scene numbers** on the **Your view** tab only shows or hides the numbers on your page; it does not remove them. ## Dialogue continuations **Automatic character continueds** adds `(CONT'D)` when the same character speaks again after action. It is on unless you turn it off on the **Script** tab of **Document settings**, and the choice is saved for the project. Your typed cues are not rewritten. A speech that crosses a page break still gets `(MORE)` and a repeated character cue with `(CONT'D)` automatically. Those page-break markers do not depend on this setting. See [Export PDF, FDX, and Fountain](https://www.inkwell.software/help/writing/export-pdf-fdx-fountain) for what each file carries. ## Writer commands A few conveniences from other screenwriting tools carry over: `⌘⇧D` / `Ctrl+Shift+D` duplicates the current block, `⌘⇧Q` / `Ctrl+Shift+Q` wraps a selection in quotes, and `⌘⇧M` / `Ctrl+Shift+M` moves a selection to the end of the document to deal with later. > **Note: Fountain underneath** > > Plot reads and writes Fountain, the plain-text screenplay format, and a script keeps its formatting both ways. The [formatting reference](https://www.inkwell.software/resources/screenplay-formatting) covers the industry conventions behind each element. ## What next - [Write your first scene](https://www.inkwell.software/help/getting-started/write-your-first-scene): Type a scene heading, move between screenplay elements with Tab, accept a ghost-text suggestion, and reach any command from the palette. - [Use slash commands](https://www.inkwell.software/help/writing/slash-commands): Open the skill palette from the page, find a skill by typing its name, set the scope, and run it without reaching for the sidebar. - [Keyboard shortcuts](https://www.inkwell.software/help/reference/keyboard-shortcuts): Every shortcut in Plot, for macOS and for Windows and Linux, grouped by what it does. --- Canonical page: