How many spaces go after a period? (1 Viewer)

[kutta]

That's way too detailed.  I just type emails and occasional letters.  Since I learned to type in the 80's it was 2 spaces.  All my papers in high school and college were 2 spaces.  Sorry hard to change.  If I was a professional writer, then maybe, but I'm not. 

But it’s not. No one uses fixed-width fonts anymore. That’s why it’s one space now.

 

[rockaction]

There are no good reasons to not use the Oxford comma IMO.

Most arguments against using it often add a qualifier that it should be used when necessary to remove ambiguity. Well, using it correctly all the time removes any and all doubt about ambiguity.

Absolutely correct here. Only makes a good ##### piece in decade-old music. I give a #### about an Oxford comma. 

 

[Nathan R. Jessep]

I'll just be up font about this, to me it still looks like a comic sans the extra space, but I have come around and am now a courier of the new one-space rule. 

 

[Stompin' Tom Connors]

Disagree. Pick up a book It an article and look at it. It will most likely have on space after periods.

Agree to disagree. Just because certain people are using it that way does not mean that those people are using it correctly. 

And -- no offense -- I am not going to take grammar convention/usage direction from someone who does not use the proper format for an ellipse at the end of a sentence.

Same as it's ever been...

 

[brun]

I don't recall ever using 2 spaces after a period.. I'm guessing it's because I never learned to type properly..

I think I might try using 2 periods..

 

[bigbottom]

And -- no offense -- I am not going to take grammar convention/usage direction from someone who does not use the proper format for an ellipse at the end of a sentence.

Do you mean an ellipsis?

:imabiggernerdthanyou:

 

[Galileo]

Two spaces after a period, always.  Oxford comma as well.  

Altho on the Internet I don't care as much.  I do a lot of writing at work tho, and those are my rules.

You put two spaces after on Oxford comma?  That's odd.

 

[rockaction]

Do you mean an ellipsis?

:imabiggernerdthanyou:

We goin' to Sizzler/we goin' to Sizzler! 

 

[kutta]

Agree to disagree. Just because certain people are using it that way does not mean that those people are using it correctly. 

And -- no offense -- I am not going to take grammar convention/usage direction from someone who does not use the proper format for an ellipse at the end of a sentence.

Pick up any book - just because the whole world does it, maybe does make it correct.

Regarding your second point, no offense, but @bigbottom did my dirty work for me...

 

[Dezbelief]

I never took a typing class and I never knew that anybody purposefully put two spaces after a period.

 

[DocHolliday]

I have always put two spaces after a period. When I text and hit space, space, a period pops in automatically.   

 

[Pipes]

But it’s not. No one uses fixed-width fonts anymore. That’s why it’s one space now.

Why are you busting my balls? I’m not arguing that you’re wrong I 100% know you’re right.  I just can’t break something I’ve done for 30 plus years.  Others here are saying the same thing.  Let it go it’s really not a big deal.

 

[Dr_Zaius]

I swear we did this already..  . .

It's definitely possible, although I did use the search function before starting the thread and nothing came up.

 

[kutta]

Why are you busting my balls? I’m not arguing that you’re wrong I 100% know you’re right.  I just can’t break something I’ve done for 30 plus years.  Others here are saying the same thing.  Let it go it’s really not a big deal.

Well, it's what the thread is about - not busting balls - just discussing.

 

[-OZ-]

Emails or posts? One space.  When I'm writing a memo? Two, but mostly from habit. As long as you're consistent; who cares?

 

[sporthenry]

I have always put two spaces after a period. When I text and hit space, space, a period pops in automatically.   

But did you notice that it's only one space between the period and the next sentence? Assuming you're using an iPhone. I was a 2 period guy and got in an argument and realized that it actually jumps back a space. 

 

[fruity pebbles]

1. 2 looks stupid.

 

[the moops]

1. 2 looks stupid.

this

 

[Eephus]

Two on a computer

One on a phone

 

[Nugget]

If you want the girl to swipe right, don’t use 2 spaces. 

 

[desert rose]

If you go by the norms of the masses, then there is one, or no, space after a period.  The word "I" is also no longer capitalized.

 

[Poke_4_Life]

I do a lot of formal writing at work.  Also review and edit formal writing.  I'm so glad I figured out how to have Word flag all the period spacing so I can make sure anything with my signature on it has two spaces after periods and has Oxford commas.  

The rest of you can get off my lawn.  

For the record, in emails and most other writing I DGAF. 

 

[popeye]

two spaces

Also, stop using full block style when writing.  Indent your ####ing paragraphs you lazy #############.

 

[Foosball God]

I do two because that is how I was taught.  I don't care if they switch it to one, but like was mentioned above just do it for me, don't try to tell me it's wrong.*

*This post was made using double spaces after the period.  No keys were harmed in the making of this post.

 

[Foosball God]

If you go by the norms of the masses, then there is one, or no, space after a period.  The word "I" is also no longer capitalized.

I'm not seeing this anywhere.  It is true that most other languages do not, but AFAIK English still be capitalizing it.

 

[Mjolnirs]

Two.  Always and forever.

I took typing around 1980 and it was the way of the world.  Not changing for me.

 

[The Iguana]

I resisted the change to 1 for a long time but eventually switched. I imagine I've gained at least dozens of seconds back since switching.

 

[The Noid]

You two-spacers still use the long s, too? Typewriters are obsolete, so no need to cling to old habits that don't apply anymore. Join us here in the future!

 

[kutta]

I resisted the change to 1 for a long time but eventually switched. I imagine I've gained at least dozens of seconds back since switching.

I see a lot of people saying things have changed. Nothing has changed. It’s always been two spaces when you use a fixed-width font, and one if you aren’t. We were taught on typewriters that use fixed-width fonts so we learned two spaces. We don’t use them much at all anymore.

So again, it’s the same as it’s ever been. 2 spaces for fixed-width fonts and one for all other fonts. 

 

[wlwiles]

When I learned typing/keyboarding in high school, it was taught to us to use two.  I could never remember and it felt unnatural to do so, so I’d always do a find & replace (replace .space with .spacespace) after typing a paper/assignment.  Depending on the length of your paper, it was a good way to squeeze an extra quarter page or so sometimes.  Had a prof in college that said 1 space was the new standard, so I quit doing that step 

 

[cockroach]

I only give space shorty before and during the period.  After, it's GO time. 

 

[Stompin' Tom Connors]

Do you mean an ellipsis?

:imabiggernerdthanyou:

Well played. 

 

[huthut]

Wonder what the age delineating line is for 2 spaces vs 1 space. 45 or so? 

 

[Stompin' Tom Connors]

Here is the real rule, and one we can all rally around:

Regardless of whether you are a one or two space person, just be consistent within the piece you are writing.

Kumbaya.

 

[LoadLetterPaper]

depends how heavy she is

 

[Stompin' Tom Connors]

In a weird bit of synchronicity, the Oxford/serial comma (and its importance and why you should always use it) has come up at work twice already today -- not brought up by me, I swear. 

 

[desert rose]

I'm not seeing this anywhere.  It is true that most other languages do not, but AFAIK English still be capitalizing it.

I'm just going by every paper turned in by my students.

 

[Pipes]

I see a lot of people saying things have changed. Nothing has changed. It’s always been two spaces when you use a fixed-width font, and one if you aren’t. We were taught on typewriters that use fixed-width fonts so we learned two spaces. We don’t use them much at all anymore.

So again, it’s the same as it’s ever been. 2 spaces for fixed-width fonts and one for all other fonts. 

When people say change they mean how they were taught.  I don’t think most of us non writers even know what a fixed-width font even is.  Honestly I couldn't tell you what font I even use.  I learned to type in 86/87 on a typewriter so yeah two spaces.  But even in my college years turning in papers, written on a computer, it was 2 spaces no matter what font.  That was the early 90's.  If one teacher said 1 space I probably would've adjusted.  But once out of school and in the accounting field I would've adapted but 30 years later I'm a 2 spacer. 

 

[El Floppo]

You know, I used to do two spaces but now it's like everybody in town does two spaces. So I think three spaces is kind of money.

 

[The Noid]

But even in my college years turning in papers, written on a computer, it was 2 spaces no matter what font

I'm team one-space, but using two for school assignments is definitely an exception that can be used forever ("I'm sorry, professor, my family was raised on two-spaces because our religion requires it.")

Every space counts when you're trying to get that minimum page requirement! Shout-out block quotes, 1.25 spacing, spelling out numbers, adding a couple extra adjectives to get that last sentence in a paragraph to the next line, and the rest of those tricks!