What's a quick way to align text?

You can use the tabbing environment.

\begin{tabbing}
this is the first sentence:\=\\
\>continue here\\
\>and here too\\
\end{tabbing}

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{stackengine}
\usepackage{lipsum}
\parskip 2em
\newcommand\parbrlap[2]{\brlap{\parbox[t]{#1}{#2}}}
\begin{document}


this is the first sentence\parbrlap{2in}{continue here\\and here}

this is the first sentence\brlap{continue just here}

\tllap{Top left}\bllap{Bottom left}A demonstration%
\tclap{Top center}\bclap{Bottom center} of lapping%
\trlap{Top right}\brlap{Bottom right}.

this is the first sentence\parbrlap{2in}{\tiny\lipsum[3]}
\end{document}