How do I change the `enumerate` list format to use letters instead of the default Arabic numerals?

Question

I've seen documentation whereby an \alph command is put around the \begin{enumerate} somewhere, but I'm not entirely sure how that operates...

Answer 1

Without any package you could do it by redefining the command \theenumi for formatting the enumi counter. (Also enumii, etc., for nested lists.)

\renewcommand{\theenumi}{\Alph{enumi}}

inside the environment.... Or better, you could use a package like enumitem which allows, e.g.,

\usepackage{enumitem}
...
\begin{enumerate}[label=\Alph*]
\item this is item a
\item another item
\end{enumerate}

Use \alph for lowercase letters, \Alph for uppercase, etc. See the package documentation for more info.

Answer 2

Use the package enumitem.

\usepackage[shortlabels]{enumitem}
.
.
.
\begin{enumerate}[(a)] % (a), (b), (c), ...
\item
\end{enumerate}
.
.
.
\begin{enumerate}[a)] % a), b), c), ...
\item
\end{enumerate}

Answer 3

With enumitem package, we can do as follow:

Preamble:

\usepackage{enumitem}
\newcommand{\subscript}[2]{$#1 _ #2$}

In document use:

\begin{enumerate}[label=(\subscript{E}{{\arabic*}})]
    \item
    Generated by the $f*\tilde{g}$, where $f\in C_c(G)$, $g\in C_c(G)$;
    \item
    Generated by the $h*\tilde{h}$, where $h\in C_c(G)$;
\end{enumerate}

Answer 4

Working example (documentation):

\documentclass[letterpaper,12pt]{article}
\usepackage{enumitem}

\begin{document}

\begin{enumerate}[label=(\alph*)]
    \item one 
    \item two
\end{enumerate}

\end{document}

Answer 5

I was able to solve the problem with enumitem package.

From the documentation of enumitem:

\usepackage{enumitem}

% if you want to create a new list from scratch
\newlist{alphalist}{enumerate}{1}
% in that case, at least label must be specified using \setlist
\setlist[alphalist,1]{label=\textbf{\alph*.}}

...

\begin{alphalist}
    \item Apple
    \item Orange
    \item Peach
\end{alphalist}

Answer 6

A solution with the package tasks by Clemens Niederberger (see also a more complete example at How to make horizontal lists?

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{tasks}
\begin{document}


\bfseries Horizontal list: a = alphabetical \normalfont
\begin{tasks}[counter-format = {tsk[a].},label-offset = {0.6em},label-format = {\bfseries}](6)
\task One
\task Two
\task Three
\task Four
\task Five
\task Six
\task Seven
\task Eight
\task Nine
\task Ten
\end{tasks}
\vglue5mm

\bfseries Horizontal list: A = Alphabetical \normalfont
\begin{tasks}[counter-format = {(tsk[A])},label-offset = {0.8em},label-format = {\bfseries}](3)
\task One
\task Two
\task Three
\task Four
\task Five
\task Six
\task Seven
\task Eight
\task Nine
\task Ten
\end{tasks}


\end{document}

Answer 7

Simple thing, yet people are using complex approach to solve it. Simply use [] after enumerate command to define your numbering style as follows:

\begin{enumerate}[a.)] # for a.), b.), ...
    \item 
\end{enumerate}


\begin{enumerate}[(a.)] # for (a.), (b.), ...
    \item 
\end{enumerate}

\begin{enumerate}[1.] # for 1., 2., ...
    \item 
\end{enumerate}


\begin{enumerate}[(1.)] # for (1.), (2.), ...
    \item 
\end{enumerate}


\begin{enumerate}[(a)] # for (a), (b), ...
    \item 
\end{enumerate}


\begin{enumerate}[1.)] # for 1.), 2.), ...
    \item 
\end{enumerate}


\begin{enumerate}[i.)] # for i.), ii.), ...
    \item 
\end{enumerate}

etc.

Answer 8

Sometimes I use linguex instead of the enumerate-like environments because the simple syntax list and because in not a closed environment, so you can insert normal paragraphs or even start a new section and follow with the same list. Unfortunately, the documentation show some indications to change the label and the counter value, but not the counter style, so I hope this could help to someone.

The MWE how to temporarily change to an alphabetic uppercase label in a environment or to the default alphabetic lowercase style of the sublist as first level, without any environment (this approach is in the documentation), in both cases without change the main arabic list.

Note: using linguex the blank lines after the items matter, as well as the number of blank lines to return to normal text. In the MWE are changed by \par commands to avoid confusions at this respect.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{linguex}
\newcounter{ExAl}
\setcounter{ExAl}{5} 
\newenvironment{Alist}{%
\let\ExAl\ExNo
\setcounter{ExNo}{0}
\renewcommand{\ExLBr}{}
\renewcommand{\ExRBr}{) }
\let\oldarabic\arabic
\let\arabic\Alph}{%
\let\arabic\oldarabic
\let\ExNo\ExAl}
\begin{document}
\ex. this is an item \par
\ex. another item\par
This is a normal paragraph  
\begin{Alist}
    \ex. this is an item\par  
    \ex. another item\par
    This is a normal paragraph\par  
    \ex. one more item !\par
\end{Alist}
This is a normal paragraph  
\ex. this is item a\par
\ex. another item\par
This is a normal paragraph\par  
\a. this is an item
\b. another item
\b. one more item\par
This is a normal paragraph\par  
\ex. this is item a\par
\ex. another item\par
This is a normal paragraph\par  
\end{document}

Answer 9

There is an easy trick:

 \begin{enumerate}[(a)]
 \item first
 \item second
 \item third
 \end{enumerate}

But it only works when you use \usepackage{enumerate}.

Answer 10

I found the enumerate package easier to use.

\usepackage{enumerate}

\begin{enumerate}[(1)]
\item 
.
.
.
\end{enumerate}

For alphabets, use \begin{enumerate}[(a)]. Easy?

Answer 11

I do know lots of useful answers have already been given so as to automatize the process using \item markups and use the enumerate environment as stated in the question, but a simple description one is maybe the simplest option when it deals with just a few items. At least, there is no extra package to load, this way.

\begin{description}
  \item[a.] This is item "a.".
  \item[b)] Maybe you actually prefer parentheses.
  \item[c#] As you can see, this also allows you to easily choose fancy separators following the letters.
\end{description}