Using the Verbatim Environment
Here's how you do longer pieces of text.
\documentstyle[12pt]{article}
\begin{document}
In \LaTeX, braces \{\ \}\ limit the scope
of certain commands, as in \verb,{\it text},.
Other commands, such as \verb,\verb, can
use any two identical symbols.
The following are control sequences used
in \LaTeX\ to allow the formatting of certain
reserved symbols.
\begin{verbatim}
\& & - ampersand
\{ { - left brace
\} } - right brace
\$ $ - dollar sign
\% % - percent sign
\# # - number sign
\_ _ - underscore
\end{verbatim}
These symbols are unpredictable, so be careful.
Note that on the output the embedded \LaTeX\ commands
are not executed.
\end{document}
Note the "\" at the end of the \LaTeX\
command. Take that out and see what happens to the spacing.