I always number my language examples as follows:



(3) a. I finally ate today at almost 1pm...
b. I usually don't eat on game day but I ate today for some reason.

For the number (3) I use the automatic numbering function but the sub-level letters a and b I put them manually. Is there a way to number the letters automatically as well? This would be two level auto numbering. I am using Word 07, but willing to upgrade if I get that function in later versions.

Yes, this is multi-level or outline numbering and is available on the Home tab.

You would have to separate the a. from the (3) though, as in
(3) - responses
a. I finally ate today at almost 1pm...
b. I usually don't eat on game day but I ate today for some reason.

Or you could use a Style Separator (Ctrl-Alt-Enter) to put them on the same line.


It is recommended, though, for documents that will be lengthy or heavily edited that instead of using that button, you use a custom numbering list attached to the Heading Styles. How to create numbered headings or outline numbering in Word 2007 and Word 2010

You can set up a multilevel list, as Charles suggested, but you would have to insert a LISTNUM field to get the first "a" in the same paragraph as the level 1 number.

You can insert LISTNUM as follows: Press Ctrl+F9 to insert field delimiters, { }. Type in LISTNUM so that you now have { LISTNUM }. Press F9 to update. Right-click the field and use Increase Indent or Decrease Indent to change the list level for the field.

__________________
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP

Microsoft 365 apps for business
Windows 11 Professional

Whatever the mechanism, make your readers' lives easier by going for 3a and 3b or 3 followed by a and b. I wouldn't mix 3a and an unqualified b; and in general, unordered lists have a lead-in or introduction.

3. Eating on game day

a. I finally ate today at almost one in the afternoon
b. I usually don't eat on game day but I ate today for some reason.

[snippy comment: the unwanted blank line before the second-level list is a present from the RTF editor]