How many spaces after a period?

[VAP0R]

Ok this sucks one of my computer teachers tells me to put two spaces after a period to start a new sentence
Ex. I hate this class. OK

My web design teacher tells me to put one!
Ex. I hate this class. OK



WHICH ONE IS RIGHT?!?!

<edit> the top OK is suppose to have two spaces in between but html wouldnt let it :/

 

[ChrichtonsGirl]

Two.

 

[konichiwa]

Two but if you're doing webpages it's better to do 1 because then you fit more words on a line. At least that's what I do.

 

[DanC]

The computer Teacher. If we're talking about writing text, vs. writing HTML...

 

[dennilfloss]

I have always thought that it was one space and that 2 spaces looked unprofessional. Ditto after a comma. Wow! I learn new stuff every day.

The Crying Game (Dave Berry)

 

[Viper GTS]

For text the standard is two after a sentence ending punctuation mark, one after any other.

For example, after that comma I used one space. Since this is a new sentence, I used two after that last period and one again after the comma.

Viper GTS

 

[Soybomb]

2 is the actual proper way to do it, although it varies when you get into the web, printer media etc, in my paper we use 1 space after a sentence

 

[Lorax]

its supposed to be 2, but html only allows for 1 space. at least from my experience of hand coding html.

 

[VAP0R]

So its two for ! . ? and one for ,

right?

 

[VAP0R]

So its two for ! . ? and one for , &quot; &amp;

right?

 

[woodie1]

It used to be two. Now days who knows. I see it both ways.

 

[BigSmooth]

AFAIK, yes. Colons and semicolons are also followed with one space. No one uses semicolons these days; it's a shame, because they are so neat-o.

 

[Regine]

<< So its two for ! . ? and one for , &quot; &amp; >>



actually, with the quotation marks it depends whether they are used within a sentence or whether you finish the sentence with one. if it's within a sentence you only have one space after it. if it's at the end of a sentence you would add two spaces after it.

 

[I'm Typing]

Your teacher is right.

 

[VAP0R]

Thanks guys, really appreciated the help.

 

[Killbat]

The long, blank key at the bottom of the keyboard is the space key.

 

[Warrenton]

According to my teacher: AP style is ONE space. If you are doing journalism etc, or professional letters, it is ONE space.

It has changed, it used to be two when using a typewriter because the text was monospaced. But now that text has variable widths, one space is only needed because one looks right. With monospaced type one space did not provide sufficient space to show the difference between them.

So according to what I have been taught, and even MS Word will pick it up on the grammar check, is that you should use ONE space.

 

[Aquaman]

I've always used 2 spaces for the end of a sentence, wheiter it's a period, question mark or exclamation point.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Chooie]

What warrenton said. If you use courier to write your MLA style reports, use 2 spaces. Otherwise, 1 is correct.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

<AGREE COMPLETELY>Warranton</AGREE COMPLETELY>



I took a class in which we went over professionalism in writing/journalism/technical writing. It all depends on the faunts!!

If you use a faunt where the space for each letter is the same: (example)
The letter &quot;i&quot; takes up the same width as a letter &quot;m&quot; on the screen from the letter on it's left to the letter on it's right, the faunt is static. Then, you should use two spaces to help the brain realize where the sentance breaks are --to almost give it a break from reading. (there's also reasons why typing in all caps is a no-no)

But, if that same letter &quot;i&quot; (in another faunt) takes up, say only 2/3 or 1/2 of the width of a letter &quot;m&quot; in that same faunt, the faunt is not static. It will have technicalities like round letters (e, o, g, c, etc) almost touching, a round letter and a straight letter (lc) a little bit more appart, but fairly close. Then, if two straight letters are next to eachother, there will be the greatest distance between them so the brain does not try to confuse them as one letter, or a mixture of the letters and come up with a completely new character to the English language. These faunts need not have two spaces between sentances.

Still have a question? ask away.

 

[Viper GTS]

Yeah, I've got a question...

Since when is font spelled faunt?



Viper GTS

 

[BiB]

This is seriously all screwed up. Its one, goddamn it. ONE ONEO NEO NEON EO NEOEN OEN EO NEON EON E!!!!

 

[DanC]

I beg to differ.
Try writing a Master's Thesis with one space. Enough said.

 

[eyor]

But if the number of vowels in a sentence is divisible by 7 you put 3 spaces after semi-colons or phrases that end in consanant clusters in the preceeding line if said sentence is no longer than 14 words.

 

[Eli]

What the hell are all you talking about? Two spaces after a period? Huh? (I'm not saying anyone is wrong, i'm trying to understand what the hell you're all talkin about!)