Single or Double Space After A Period

[Jiggy_12]

I've sometimes wondered why some people always double space. Had no idea that's what they were taught. I do find it mildly distracting when I see it, but not a big deal. What bothers me more is when people leave a space after their sentence, and before their punctuation mark (Example: What time is it ?). That is definitely a pet peeve of mine, although I see it more via text message than anywhere else.

[fredr123]

MLA style says one space: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/
Chicago Manual says one space (see above)
APA for some stupid reason is an outlier and reintroduced two spaces in the sixth edition: http://www.apastyle.org/manual/whats-new.aspx and http://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/20...-a-period.html

The Oxford Style Guide is silent: https://www.ox.ac.uk/public_affairs/...s/style_guide/

The University of Calgary style guide also refrains to weigh in on this subject: http://www.ucalgary.ca/news/styleguide

Associated Press Style says one space: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/735/02/

My own office's style guide requires two spaces but I say nay!

[bubbsy]

I was taught double space since my first computer keyboard typing class in elementary school. Since then no institution has indicated the transition to single space.

As such, double space is the way to go.

[Regular_John]

Single.

It took me years to unlearn the double space garbage I was taught in school, but it's single now, and has been for some time.

[PsYcNeT]

Hi everyone, the era before computers called, it wants it's double-spacing back.

I like how this is a conversation. Only people over 35 double-space and it's hilarious.

[fredr123]

Moar links:

http://theworldsgreatestbook.com/how...fter-a-period/
A contrarian view: http://www.heracliteanriver.com/?p=324

[Bobblehead]

2 spaces was when monospaced fonts were used, like on typewriters. You needed the extra space to make it obvious where the break was, as opposed to simply the extra space between an i and a t.

With proportional fonts, they "extra" space is removed from between letters so it is no longer required after a period for readability. Many browsers and even web servers will automatically remove the extra space. It doesn't hurt so if you want to do it, feel free. But you are wasting your time an inconveniencing a few extra electrons.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

Hi everyone, the era before computers called, it wants it's double-spacing back.

I like how this is a conversation. Only people over 35 double-space and it's hilarious.

I'm under 35 and I double space. I think what's hilarious is now upset some people get about a double space.

Additionally, I notice that the forum automatically puts a double space as a single space. So I guess the CP style guide is single space too.

[CubicleGeek]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

Hi everyone, the era before computers called, it wants it's double-spacing back.

Yeah, but the era after computers brought us Justin Bieber.

What a trivial thing to complain about. It's like the "Zee" and "Zed" argument. Who cares?

[bubbsy]

i'm also <35 and double space.

I didn't realize anyone noticed or cared till this thread popped up.

[getbak]

I come from the internet, so I can put as many spaces into -- and after -- my sentences as I want and it doesn't matter. So there. <-- This only makes sense if you quote this post and see how it's typed


The worst is when you're reading/editing a document that has been written/edited by a bunch of people before you and the whole thing is a jumbled mess of single and double spaces after sentences.

Step 1: Find & Replace --> Find: 2 spaces --> Replace with: 1 space --> Replace all.

[Nehkara]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

Hi everyone, the era before computers called, it wants it's double-spacing back.

I like how this is a conversation. Only people over 35 double-space and it's hilarious.

I'm 29.

[REDVAN]

When I was a kid... double.

Now, when I am working and getting paid for efficiency- single.

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by Nehkara

I'm 29.

Your typing teacher should be shot.

[Nehkara]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

Your typing teacher should be shot.

I learned to double space at my job, because it is their preference.

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by Nehkara

I learned to double space at my job, because it is their preference.

A preference put forward by someone old who learned to type on a typewriter no doubt.

[undercoverbrother]

Double Space help eat up paper space when writing a paper and struggling to sound half intelligent. Hell sometimes my papers looked like a blizzard.....

I learnt to type/write papers on a mechanical typewriter. It was always double space.

Now I single space. It uses up less of the finite number to keystrokes I have in my fingers.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

A preference put forward by someone old who learned to type on a typewriter no doubt.

Why does it bother you?

[annasuave]

Always double-tap.

Also; cardio, beware of bathrooms, and wear seatbelts.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

A preference put forward by someone old who learned to type on a typewriter no doubt.

stupid old fata's