One Space or Two After a Period

[dioxide45]

I have this now as an ongoing debate at the office. In my job I create procedure manuals and try to consistently use one space after a period. I even use the find/replace feature of MS Word to replace all instances of ".__" with "._" where "_" is a space.

When I complete our manuals I send them to someone to proof. In performing a recent update I did the find/replace and discovered that there were well over 400 changes that were made. That means that the proofer did the opposite find/replace that I did.:annoyed: So I changed them all back and sent the updates back for proofing

While in high school I did learn on a typewriter that two spaces was appropriate when typing. I am however of the new school that two spaces is no longer necessary and should be banished.

I asked several people who work of me and others around and they seem to also think two spaced is necessary. Any thoughts from Tuggers.

 

[jlwquilter]

I learned that it's 2 spaces after a period. However, I always use just one space when emailing, typing on a biard (like here), etc. It gives enough space seperation and many times there are character limitations in response boxes, etc. that using 2 spaces would severly limit what can be said.

2 spaces is technically correct. 1 space is perhaps used more often. For a procedural maual, should you be technically correct?

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Many web sites, including TUG, automatically delete extra spaces. For example.

Here is a test paragraph. I typed one space after the period.

Here is a test paragraph. I typed two spaces after the period.​

But if you put the same text inside a code block the formatting is preserved:

Here is a test paragraph. I typed one space after the period.

Here is a test paragraph.  I typed two spaces after the period.

I believe the extra space after a period became the norm with proportional space fonts, such as Courier, that were needed by typewriters. With proportional space fonts a blank space does not stand out very much from characters, so the extra space was used to visually mark the start of a new sentence more clearly.

With the replacement of typewriters by word processors, proportional space fonts are not often used anymore. Accordingly, IMHO there is generally no need for two spaces at the start of a sentence inside a paragraph.

When I do create text in a proportional font, though, I still use two spaces to start a sentence inside a paragraph. This situation generally arises when I am adding comments to when writing code for computer applications. Coding is normally done in a proportional font. If I don't use two spaces to start a sentence, I find that the comments and annotations are very difficult to read.

 

[Chrisky]

As far as I know, it's 2 spaces at the end of a sentence.

 

[djs]

I've always done two spaces after a period. When texting or e-mailing on both my crackberry and iTouch, a period is automatically inserted after I insert two spaces (I believe this is a default setting - I haven't changed it).

When texting and am tight on spacing I'll only do one space; rarely will I cut words down ("u" instead of "you" etc.).

 

[pjrose]

Supposedly the MLA requires one, but it says two is ok.

I've always used two; most of my kids' teachers and many college profs are now preferring one which they typically describe as required by MLA format. however, the MLA notes:

"Because it is increasingly common for papers and manuscripts to be prepared with a single space after all punctuation marks, this spacing is shown in the examples in the MLA Handbook and the MLA Style Manual. As a practical matter, however, there is nothing wrong with using two spaces after concluding punctuation marks unless an instructor or editor requests that you do otherwise."​

http://www.mla.org/style_faq3

Purdue's site, often suggested as a good source, specifies one:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/557/01/

I still use two; I believe the extra space implies a sentence separation is more substantial than a word separation.

 

[swift]

Typewriters?? What are they???? Two spaces???

 

[Patri]

I think single space is appropriate in this technology. The typing rules applied to the typewriter.

 

[pjrose]

Typewriters?? What are they???? Two spaces???

Originally, a "type writer" was the person who operated Remington's new "typing machine". Attractive young women were used to demonstrate the new machines (and of course to attract male business owners to look at the typing machines). It's just like advertising cars with gorgeous women draped over them. Business owners wanted to hire these trained operators along with the purchase of the machine. This was part of the beginning of women replacing men in secretarial and clerical positions. (This was part of DH's dissertation research - don't know the source off-hand, but could find it if anyone's interested.)

 

[vkrn]

APA style formatting

APA style formatting specifically states one space after a period.

"Spacing after Punctuation: Space once after all punctuation. This includes using one space (not two!) following punctuation marks at the ends of sentences."

 

[Kal]

Brings back the days of the old Royal typewriter where you hit the big protruding lever for a line return.

But those days are long gone with the introduction of the new IBM Selectric typewriter (or as many referred to as the "mad baller". Then when the combination white-out ribbon was introduced that was beyond state-of-the-art typewriting. But then it was the WANG work station. OMG could there be anything BETTER!!!!

Spaces? Don't need no stinking spaces!!

 

[mo1950]

The Advanced English Grammar class I took at the college level required two spaces after a period at the end of a sentence. Of course that was twenty years ago when technology was not as it is today.

 

[m61376]

And I always learned that one space was appropriate.

I had thought that the 2 space thing was something peculiar to the legal profession, since I had always used style manuals that called for a single space (and, yes, I did learn on a typewriter) and my kids learned single space. I never noticed the double spacing until my daughter entered law school.

 

[jamstew]

I also learned two spaces, but that was in the dark ages. One is acceptable in most situations now, depending on the font. I think, as someone else said, proportional spacing fonts use two. Use one with true type fonts (I think that's what they're called).

 

[MULTIZ321]

See this link from Wikipedia for more info about TrueType Fonts


Richard

 

[MULTIZ321]

I came, I saw, I learned... Grammar Workshop: One space or Two after a Period? by Jennie Ruby


Richard

 

[Jon77]

One or two

Most of us folks that learned to type on a typewriter, were told to use one space after a comma and two spaces after a period.

And because of that, when I type text anywhere today, I just automatically type 2 spaces after a period without even thinking about it!

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Most of us folks that learned to type on a typewriter, were told to use one space after a comma and two spaces after a period.

And because of that, when I type text anywhere today, I just automatically type 2 spaces after a period without even thinking about it!

I added an entry to my autocorrect so that a period followed by two spaces is replaced by a period with one space.

 

[susieq]

.....

Off Topic - Sorry -- Couldn't resist!!
LOVE your avatar!! :hysterical: ​

 

[Karen G]

I came, I saw, I learned... Grammar Workshop: One space or Two after a Period? by Jennie Ruby

I loved this paragraph from that cited work: "From about 1870 to 1980, from the invention of the typewriter to the invention of the IBM PC, typing teachers rigorously taught every student to put two spaces after the period at the end of a sentence. They taught it with such certitude and vigor that students of those teachers can barely imagine not double-spacing after a period. "

As one of those old typing teachers, I'm glad that our students at least remembered something we hammered into them!

 

[laura1957]

I loved this paragraph from that cited work: "From about 1870 to 1980, from the invention of the typewriter to the invention of the IBM PC, typing teachers rigorously taught every student to put two spaces after the period at the end of a sentence. They taught it with such certitude and vigor that students of those teachers can barely imagine not double-spacing after a period. "

As one of those old typing teachers, I'm glad that our students at least remembered something we hammered into them!

I am one of those students!! I always have been taught 2 spaces.

Reminds me of my very first job. My sister (8 years older) and I both were taking a typing test in October 1975 at a large company - she had been the "top" typist in her class in HS, and I was 17 and had just graduated high school that June. We were in a room with 20 - 25 typewriters, almost identical with what I had used in HS. After the test as we were walking out I asked my sister how she had done - she burst out laughing so hard she almost couldn't get it out - she didn't figure out until almost the end of the time limit what that "return" button meant. She had never used an ELECTRIC typewriter before and was looking for the carriage return lever!!

 

[pjrose]

I loved this paragraph from that cited work: "From about 1870 to 1980, from the invention of the typewriter to the invention of the IBM PC, typing teachers rigorously taught every student to put two spaces after the period at the end of a sentence. They taught it with such certitude and vigor that students of those teachers can barely imagine not double-spacing after a period. "

As one of those old typing teachers, I'm glad that our students at least remembered something we hammered into them!

I certainly do - two spaces after a period, and that's that. I also still remember the poster on the left wall of the classroom. It showed two daisies in flowerpots: the drooping one represented bad posture, and the upright and smiling daisy good posture. Whenever I think of it I pull up my spine, and vice versa!

 

[MelBay]

The style guide my company adheres to dictates ONE space after a period. I hate it, think it looks silly, and I can almost feel my typing teacher smacking me on the hands when I do it.

 

[Emily]

I learned 2 spaces after a period (turabian style - business, humanities). This gives me a fit now because everything I write (other than email) needs to be APA format (scientific) which is one space.

Your not the only one that asks this question . .

http://www.columbiaseminary.edu/coffeetalk/149.html

 

[Rose Pink]

I had to laugh when I read the title of this thead. I had been taught two spaces. When I ask my dd to edit anything I've written, she edits out all my double spaces. She gets very annoyed with them. I had not known there was a new view of spacing after a sentence. I find it somewhat amusing at the emotion that has gone into one space or two.