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(emacs-lisp-intro.info)Typing Lists

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GNU Emacs Helps You Type Lists
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   When you type a Lisp expression in GNU Emacs using either Lisp
Interaction mode or Emacs Lisp mode, you have available to you several
commands to format the Lisp expression so it is easy to read.  For
example, pressing the <TAB> key automatically indents the line the
cursor is on by the right amount.  A command to properly indent the
code in a region is customarily bound to `M-C-\'.  Indentation is
designed so that you can see which elements of a list belongs to which
list--elements of a sub-list are indented more than the elements of the
enclosing list.

   In addition, when you type a closing parenthesis, Emacs momentarily
jumps the cursor back to the matching opening parenthesis, so you can
see which one it is.  This is very useful, since every list you type in
Lisp must have its closing parenthesis match its opening parenthesis.
(Note: Major Modes, for more information about
Emacs' modes.)