Grammar Workshop: One Space or Two After a Period?

by Jennie Ruby

I have probably written about the spacing problem before, but the one-space versus two-space debate keeps coming back, and here is why.

In print publishing, variable-width fonts have always been used. Variable-width fonts do not require an additional space to enhance readability at the end of the sentence. The standard in print publishing has always been no extra space after a sentence.

Meanwhile, in the business world, when typewriters were first invented, they had only single-width fonts, like Courier, in which every letter had the same width assigned to it as every other. That means the narrow letter i receives the same width as the wide letter o. When the lettering is spaced like that, and the period at the end of a sentence is also spaced like that, it becomes difficult to notice the end of a sentence without an extra space. So double-spacing after a period was invented along with the typewriter.

From about 1870 to 1980, from the invention of the typewriter to the invention of the IBM PC, typing teachers rigorously taught every student to put two spaces after the period at the end of a sentence. They taught it with such certitude and vigor that students of those teachers can barely imagine not double-spacing after a period. Double-spacing was the standard in business typing for more than 100 years. Many of today's managers and directors come from this typewriter-based background and experience.  These managers usually insist on the double spacing.

Two worlds collide

Soon after the IBM PC was invented in 1980, every business person had on their desk a word processor with variable-spaced fonts just like print publishing. The habit of double spacing should have instantly disappeared. But the aforementioned typing teachers and their students simply transferred their typewriter skills to the computer, and the conundrum of one space versus two was born.

So what do we do?

One space is the right answer. But the practical answer is, if you can't convince your manager or director to go with one space, go ahead and use two.

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About the Author: Jennie Ruby is a veteran IconLogic trainer and author with titles such as "Editing with Word 2003 and Acrobat 7" and "Editing with MS Word 2007" to her credit. Jennie specializes in electronic editing. At the American Psychological Association, she was manager of electronic publishing and manager of technical editing and journal production. Jennie has an M.A. from George Washington University and is a Certified Technical Trainer (Chauncey Group). She is a publishing professional with 20 years of experience in writing, editing and desktop publishing.

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Join Jennie in our online classes (she'll be teaching two upcoming classes for IconLogic): Writing Training Documents and eLearning Scripts and Editing with Microsoft Word 2007.

Comments

[Roger Agness]

How awesome was that! I finally have the definitive word that I can point someone to, and it's not just me saying it.

:)

Now, if only someone can explain this one to me:

For years the default font used by Word was Times New Roman 10pt. I would always have students change it to 12pt (standard typewriter size) during the first class session, 1.) because 10pt is just too small to read unless it is a legal contract and 2.) so they would see how to change their default settings.

Now suddenly Word 2007 uses Calibri 11pt.

Any ideas from your writing/documentation experts as to why they made the change, and why they changed to Calibri?

Is it any more readable than TNR? I had always understood that serif fonts were best for body copy because the serifs helped to lead the eye across a sometimes-wide page, and that sans-serif Arial was best (keeping it simple, using just two basic fonts out of the many that shipped with the package) for headlines.

Thank you so very much. I am glad I stumbled upon your site.

Sincerely,

Roger Agness
Orlando, FL

[Doublespacer]

With all due respect, I find this to be problematic.
In our written word where we use the period for so much more than denoting the end of a sentence, the two spaces serve to show the reader the completion of a thought, rather than the end of an abbreviation. The period serves as a "stop" to interrupt the jumbling of words in long paragraphs. The extra space accentuates this. Take for example, the sentences, "I will meet Dr. Laura, Ph.D along with Mr. and Mrs. Smith for dinner at 8:00 p.m. at St. Clouds' on 4th Ave. Mr. Smith will have my father's book with him." The extra space after "Ave." turns nonsense into two complete thoughts.

Also, Ms. Ruby, with your experience editing at the American Psychological Association, you must have noticed that the extremely technical writing found in the sciences can be hard on the eye. Didn't you find the spaces between the sentences helped you refocus and maintain comprehension?

Further, even extremely modern devices, such as the iPhone recognize the two spaces as an aspect of modern typing. To finish a typed sentence on these devices, one need only hit the space key twice.

[Jennie Ruby]

These are the standards for published and desktop published work:

Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition, 2.12 “A Single character space, not two spaces, should be left after periods at the ends of sentences (both in manuscript and in final, published form) and after colons.”

Gregg Reference Manual, 10th edition, 102 “If you are preparing manuscript on a computer and file will be used for typesetting, use only one space and ignore the issue of visual appearance….If the manuscript has already been typed with two spaces at the end of every sentence, use the Replace function to change two spaces to one space throughout.”

In word processing applications, do whatever you think looks good. However, for exceptional examples such as the one you give, two spaces will definitely help clarify the issue.

Gregg Reference Manual, 102, “As a general rule, use one space after the period at the end of a sentence, but switch to two spaces whenever you feel a stronger visual break between sentences is needed.…When an abbreviation ends one sentence and begins the next, the use of one space after the period that ends the sentence may also be inadequate.”