2006-09-20 05:47:54 · 11 answers · asked by Peace Pai 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Primary & Secondary Education
It used to be, back when we all typed on typewriters, that you used two spaces after a period, and one after a comma. The reason was that it was difficult to tell when a new sentence started because typewriters had a mono-width type (every letter was the same width--that is the same as Courier), and the extra space was an indicator of a new sentence. Nowadays, with the advent of the computer, and poly-width type (like this sentence) only one space is needed after a period for clarity, so that is the current rule. That said, anyone taught on a typewriter still uses two spaces, and it's so ingrained in our brains, that it is nearly impossible to break ourselves of the habit. But if you are learning anew, you might as well just use one space after the period, since that's what will be used in the future.
2006-09-20 08:56:46 · answer #1 · answered by Anthony S 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1
2006-09-20 05:49:47 · answer #2 · answered by Ipsa sola 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Within a sentence, it's one space after a comma. But when I start a new sentence, I put two spaces before writing. I think that's just how I was taught when I was in elementary school.
2006-09-20 05:56:44 · answer #3 · answered by zzilly14 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Two (2) spaces are used after a period, question mark, or exclamation point. One (1) space is used after a comma. If you use a semicolon, the spacing is one (1) space after it [;].
Two spaces after a period[.]; one space after a comma[,].
2006-09-20 06:03:19 · answer #4 · answered by sheila_0123 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Two spaces for a period.
One space for a comma.
2006-09-20 05:51:05 · answer #5 · answered by Lizzy-tish 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I was taught one after a comma, two after a period. The rules vary, but that's what it was four years ago when I was in college (journalism school).
2006-09-20 05:56:14 · answer #6 · answered by Jim I 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I put two after a period, unless the text is only to be rendered in a browser. In that case I only put once since browsers collapse multiple spaces to singles anyway.
2006-09-20 05:54:25 · answer #7 · answered by John's Secret Identity™ 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
just one. when people used typewriters they would put two, but with the word processing done on computers, it's now one for both the period and comma.
2006-09-20 06:07:00 · answer #8 · answered by jack spicer 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it used to be two after a period, but i believe it has changed somewhere along the line to only one! i am in the process of trying to train myself to only put one space!
2006-09-20 05:50:48 · answer #9 · answered by whoanelly00 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
As for me, I just leave one space.
2006-09-20 05:52:13 · answer #10 · answered by stklotto 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋