One or Two Spaces?

Contributor: charmedtomeetyou charmedtomeetyou
I stick with one. Seems easier and visually it isn't a problem.
02/10/2013
Contributor: Geogeo Geogeo
Quote:
Originally posted by Annemarie
I was always taught that it was one space after the end of a sentence, not two, but have encountered numerous people that put two spaces. How many spaces do you typically put after a period/after the end of a sentence?
Only ONE--that is the correct way, no matter what you've been taught in school. TWO was only used when using a typewriter and should just be extinct already.
02/10/2013
Contributor: Toy Fiend Toy Fiend
Just one for me!
02/10/2013
Contributor: Passion plum Passion plum
I was taught to use two.
02/10/2013
Contributor: woodsdragon woodsdragon
I am an English teacher and I use and teach two spaces
02/10/2013
Contributor: Wicked Wahine Wicked Wahine
Quote:
Originally posted by Darling Jen
Ditto!

It's a stylistic choice from "the old days". It's not wrong to do it, but it's unnecessary. I was always taught the more recent redefinitions of rules so I've always used a single space.

Along the same ... more
Yep, to your point, I was taught to never put a comma before a conjunction. But in your example, I have to agree, you do have a point! Although I've never come across the second style in anything published that I've read.

I didn't realize people were using two spaces, I've always used one, but computers came out right as I was in high school, so I don't remember if I used two spaces when I typed in grade school.
02/10/2013
Contributor: FunFantasys FunFantasys
Quote:
Originally posted by Annemarie
I was always taught that it was one space after the end of a sentence, not two, but have encountered numerous people that put two spaces. How many spaces do you typically put after a period/after the end of a sentence?
only one
02/10/2013
Contributor: IvyFayette IvyFayette
I was taught to do one but I sometimes do two when I feel like the period is too close to the letter.
02/10/2013
Contributor: Wicked Wahine Wicked Wahine
Quote:
Originally posted by Geogeo
Only ONE--that is the correct way, no matter what you've been taught in school. TWO was only used when using a typewriter and should just be extinct already.
That's right and it's an explanation that makes sense.

Spacing & comma disputes are not something about which I'm very concerned, when everyday I see & hear butchered grammar! Apparently, the longer the populace uses incorrect grammar, the more it becomes mainstream and no one seems to want to correct them!
02/10/2013
Contributor: shorejen9 shorejen9
Two spaces. I had English professors in college that would not accept papers otherwise.
02/10/2013
Contributor: B/C I CAN B/C I CAN
I swear I was taught two, but my gf who is an english major says that it is something I learned from cheating on length requirements when I was younger. Idk. I don't think it matters really at all.
02/10/2013
Contributor: AliMc AliMc
I have never heard of using two.
02/10/2013
Contributor: Trysexual Trysexual
Quote:
Originally posted by shorejen9
Two spaces. I had English professors in college that would not accept papers otherwise.
Agreed. I hate the ambiguity. Whichever is right, there is so much misinformation out there.
02/10/2013
Contributor: WhoopieDoo WhoopieDoo
I had to use two spaces for most assignments in high school. In college it was always one. I think MLA format requires it?
02/10/2013
Contributor: StarrStacked StarrStacked
It was drilled into my head all through high school and college that it was only one.
02/20/2013
Contributor: SydVicious SydVicious
I was taught two spaces. Back in typing class the teaching put boxes over the keyboards and made us type from a book without looking at our hands. Everything was timed and every mistake was highlighted. We always had to have two spaces.
02/20/2013
Contributor: hotinpink hotinpink
Quote:
Originally posted by Annemarie
I was always taught that it was one space after the end of a sentence, not two, but have encountered numerous people that put two spaces. How many spaces do you typically put after a period/after the end of a sentence?
One
02/20/2013
Contributor: jennifur77 jennifur77
I was taught two spaces. I had a mentor here on EF on my last review tell me I had to edit my entire review before it would be published to have just one space after sentences. The previous two reviews I wrote had two spaces but nothing was said about them. (Personally I think my mentor couldn't find anything to suggest to improve and wanted to try to find SOMETHING.) The reason given to me was that people would ding my review if I used two spaces after a sentence when it's to be one space. Really? I can't imagine anyone reading a review being that picky as to give me a lower rating for that!
02/23/2013
Contributor: Gone (LD29) Gone (LD29)
I was taught to use two spaces in school, and I still type that way. I have worked for companies where I needed to write numerous business letters, and that is how that company wanted their letters formatted also. I know that one space has become more accepted, especially depending on what software you're typing in, but really it just depends on the requirements of your end reader.

I also want to point out that some software adjusts how it is viewed regardless of how many spaces someone uses. Go back and read posts from people that say they use one space vs. posts from people that say they use two. The amount of space you will see after each sentence is identical.
02/23/2013
Contributor: LikeSunshineDust LikeSunshineDust
I am going to throw something at the next reviewer who puts two spaces in between sentences, where I have to go and edit all of the extra spaces out. This is not up for debate. Only one space between sentences! /rant

Sorry, just had to get that out. Maybe I'm OCD for going through and fixing every single one. But it is incorrect.
03/09/2013
Contributor: OhMyGlob OhMyGlob
I just put 1.
03/09/2013
Contributor: Genderfree Genderfree
whynotusenospaces?
03/11/2013
Contributor: SassySam SassySam
Quote:
Originally posted by Genderfree
whynotusenospaces?
lol.Iagree.
03/11/2013
Contributor: Gleb Gleb
Just one.
03/11/2013
Contributor: kandy anjel kandy anjel
Quote:
Originally posted by Annemarie
I was always taught that it was one space after the end of a sentence, not two, but have encountered numerous people that put two spaces. How many spaces do you typically put after a period/after the end of a sentence?
only 1
03/11/2013
Contributor: Artur Sergachev Artur Sergachev
Just one.
03/11/2013
Contributor: 1001 Pleasures 1001 Pleasures
Just one, but I learned to use two.
03/11/2013
Contributor: jennifur77 jennifur77
I was taking a grad school class last year and looked this up in the MLA handbook, and according to it, both are correct. (At least for the edition that was current last spring.)
03/11/2013
Contributor: evie.amor evie.amor
Quote:
Originally posted by SexyTabby
It was drilled into me in school there's two spaces after a period however if characters and space is an issue I will only put one.
Same here!
03/15/2013
Contributor: mdnght mdnght
Quote:
Originally posted by Annemarie
I was always taught that it was one space after the end of a sentence, not two, but have encountered numerous people that put two spaces. How many spaces do you typically put after a period/after the end of a sentence?
I was originally taught to use two spaces, but in high school I learned that I should only do one...
03/15/2013