If I want to use an exclamation at the end of a sentence, I often type ..! instead of just ! Just because I think it looks better..! On this forum, particularly..! And I often dither about colons. Whether to do it like this: Or like this : with a space in front of the colon.
For the record, I've always typed one space, but just because that's what I've always done. Amazing what people can get worked up about.
I was taught to use two spaces after a period in a high school typing class. Of course that was on an old standard, non-electric typewriter with unidentified keys. I think I got up to 20 WPM (error free) by the end of the semester.
(edit) Later on I repaired teletypewriters in the AF and then Bell Telephone. Those machines all had fixed space fonts which needed the two spaces like the article explained. I could type "The quick brown fox" at near 100 WPM on a teletype.
Now I've learned to use only one space but the transition took years to complete. Much harder to unlearn than to learn.
[This message has been edited by spark1 (edited 08-20-2014).]
I tend to type as I speak, often with pauses..........but "usually", only one space after the punctuation that ends a sentence. "Usually", because if I have used bb code near the end of a sentence, I am not always sure what the brackets are going to do with the end punctuation. Considering how many people don't nowadys, I don't much care HOW they use punctuation, just happy as heck when they USE it.
I tend to type as I speak, often with pauses..........but "usually", only one space after the punctuation that ends a sentence. "Usually", because if I have used bb code near the end of a sentence, I am not always sure what the brackets are going to do with the end punctuation. Considering how many people don't nowadys, I don't much care HOW they use punctuation, just happy as heck when they USE it.
This.
I had an English teacher (note: not a professor) in college comment on my writing style; saying it was decidedly conversational and wouldn't do well in an academic setting. I told her that I wasn't writing scientific papers, I was telling an informative story about a subject I'd personally studied for several years. She didn't say much past that point; only that my writing was extremely easy to read and follow. I dropped out after that semester anyway.
For the record, I generally use a single space... Unless I fat finger the keyboard on my phone.
For the record, I've always typed one space, but just because that's what I've always done. Amazing what people can get worked up about.
I didn't read the entire article, just skimmed it (sorry), so I'm not sure if it mentions it in there... but it was a practice that was considered appropriate back in the day when people used typewriters. This pre-dated word processors of course. A lot of people simply carried that over into the computer era; however, I'm not really sure why that ever was acceptable. What purpose would two spaces serve on a typewriter that it would somehow be different on normal computer / word processor?
The American English language is kind of interesting. In many cases, we took British English verbatim, and then simply altered a few things. For America, punctuation must ALWAYS go before an end-quote. This is true EVEN if the punctuation has nothing to do with what is being quoted. Typically though, a quoted verbal phrase would go on its own line so this would be a non issue. In any case, the punctuation always goes before the end quote whenever a sentence ends with a quotation. In British English, there is actually a determination based on what is being quoted and whether the punctuation applies. That said, if you were writing a college dissertation here in the United States, you would follow the APA / American format, and not the British format. Using the British quoting / punctuation practice would be just like saying "colour" instead of "color" in your American dissertation (and it would be marked up).
EDIT: One thing that I do all the time that drives me nuts, is making "its" possessive. I'll often say "it's" as if to use it like I would "Todd's." This is totally incorrect of course, but I still keep doing it and have to make a real conscious effort to stop.
[This message has been edited by 82-T/A [At Work] (edited 08-20-2014).]
I've always used two spaces after a period. I wasn't taught that way, I just did it because I felt it looked crowded if I didn't (and I could tell when other people didn't use two spaces, for the same reason - it looked too crowded). I'll keep doing it this way, thank you.
I was taught to use two spaces after a period in a high school typing class. Of course that was on an old standard, non-electric typewriter with unidentified keys. I think I got up to 20 WPM (error free) by the end of the semester.
They had typewriters when you went to school,, I thought you used a hammer and chisel that long ago !
Anywho, I was taught to use double space after the end of a sentence. I was taught this on a computer, not a typewriter and have always done it that way. I believe it looks better anyway. When texting on my iPhone, if I double space after a word it will enter a period for me. Seems like the guys at Apple are on my side
This guy reminds me of the guy that went on a rant against the apostrophe and contractions saying they weren't needed (could be the same guy I guess). Either way both rants came across as a whiny little brat just wanting his way to be the best way.
Crazy thing is....the world is still spinning.....
Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]: I didn't read the entire article, just skimmed it (sorry), so I'm not sure if it mentions it in there... but it was a practice that was considered appropriate back in the day when people used typewriters. This pre-dated word processors of course. A lot of people simply carried that over into the computer era; however, I'm not really sure why that ever was acceptable. What purpose would two spaces serve on a typewriter that it would somehow be different on normal computer / word processor? <clip>
The author did explain why double spaces were used with mono-spaced type. This was true from the time practical typewriters were invented just after the Civil War until the 1970's.
quote
The problem with typewriters was that they used monospaced type—that is, every character occupied an equal amount of horizontal space. This bucked a long tradition of proportional typesetting, in which skinny characters (like I or 1) were given less space than fat ones (like W or M). Monospaced type gives you text that looks "loose" and uneven; there's a lot of white space between characters and words, so it's more difficult to spot the spaces between sentences immediately. Hence the adoption of the two-space rule—on a typewriter, an extra space after a sentence makes text easier to read. Here's the thing, though: Monospaced fonts went out in the 1970s. First electric typewriters and then computers began to offer people ways to create text using proportional fonts. Today nearly every font on your PC is proportional. (Courier is the one major exception.) Because we've all switched to modern fonts, adding two spaces after a period no longer enhances readability, typographers say. It diminishes it.
So mono-spaced type just looks better and is easier to read if two spaces are used after the end of a sentence. Once use of proportional fonts became common the practice of double spacing changed because the extra space was unneeded and looked odd.
I learned on fixed pitch typewriters, so double spaces after a period was the standard. I still do it out of habit. I think it makes even proportional text easier to read because there is a more clearly defined break between sentences.
This is what it looks like. Using two spaces after a period. On fixed pitch font. This is what it looks like. Using one space after a period. On fixed pitch font. (it appears the forum software discards the "extra" space)
When texting on my iPhone, if I double space after a word it will enter a period for me. Seems like the guys at Apple are on my side Crazy thing is....the world is still spinning.....
You do notice that it just replaced the 2nd space with a period right? It doesn't actually have two spaces after your period like you type on the computer.
I definitely notice when someone is adding that second space, and think it looks funny/wrong, but I guess I don't make a big deal out of it.
I learned on fixed pitch typewriters, so double spaces after a period was the standard. I still do it out of habit. I think it makes even proportional text easier to read because there is a more clearly defined break between sentences.
This is what it looks like. Using two spaces after a period. On fixed pitch font. This is what it looks like. Using one space after a period. On fixed pitch font. (it appears the forum software discards the "extra" space)
Just use the "code" tag:
code:
This is what it looks like. Using two spaces after a period. On fixed pitch font. This is what it looks like. Using one space after a period. On fixed pitch font.
I was told in college English to use two spaces after a period, also lots of other things I've forgotten, but I got in trouble a LOT because I was taught in high school to use one space. It's all ignorant, English class was always the most difficult for me. To this day I can't wrap my head around a lot of it, mainly because it's not all logical like it should be.
I remember, in college, her biggest thing was numbers. I think we had a lecture on it once a week. One through ten you wrote, anything above that you could use the numbers. I don't understand the logic.... But hey, she ran a newspaper and liked herself a LOT.
You do notice that it just replaced the 2nd space with a period right? It doesn't actually have two spaces after your period like you type on the computer.
I follow virtually all of the correct English rules to the letter when I can but I don't make a fuss about it. The only one that I actually disagree with involves punctuation and quotations. Apparently, regardless of what the original quote implies, in American English it is customary to put all punctuation inside of the quotations. For instance, Did you ever hear her say "My name is Sally?" is correct instead of Did you ever hear her say "My name is Sally"? I believe that it confuses the original quotation being questioned about's intent; it shouldn't be a rule.
I had been taught 2 spaces, and have done it that way my entire life. I have never had anyone complain that it looks awkward. Never. I had been taught 2 spaces, and have done it that way my entire life. I have never had anyone complain that it looks awkward. Never.
Put back to back, most people would notice. Don't put it back to back, most people wouldn't notice. I just used 2 spaces between one sentence in this paragraph, and 1 space between the other. Did you notice? That I went back to 2? And then back to one? And then back to two?
I had been taught 2 spaces, and have done it that way my entire life. I have never had anyone complain that it looks awkward. Never. I had been taught 2 spaces, and have done it that way my entire life. I have never had anyone complain that it looks awkward. Never.
Put back to back, most people would notice. Don't put it back to back, most people wouldn't notice. I just used 2 spaces between one sentence in this paragraph, and 1 space between the other. Did you notice? That I went back to 2? And then back to one? And then back to two?
Nobody noticed because the forum automatically makes it one space.
I had been taught 2 spaces, and have done it that way my entire life. I have never had anyone complain that it looks awkward. Never. I had been taught 2 spaces, and have done it that way my entire life. I have never had anyone complain that it looks awkward. Never.
Put back to back, most people would notice. Don't put it back to back, most people wouldn't notice. I just used 2 spaces between one sentence in this paragraph, and 1 space between the other. Did you notice? That I went back to 2? And then back to one? And then back to two?
Actually, either convention is correct. It is a matter of choice, though many people assume that one or the other is wrong and you can't convince them otherwise. The key is consistency.
For the record, I use two spaces after any end of sentence punctuation and a single space within a sentence. I have written 2 major theses (MASc and Phd, totalling almost 500 pages...copies available for anyone interested ) and numerous papers. They have all been published using this convention. Like Maryjane mentioned, and for the one or two of you who have ever bothered to read anything I write, I tend to use .... as a pause within my sentences. I do this an awful lot....not really sure why, but indicates the way I am speaking. Dramatic effect
[This message has been edited by Neils88 (edited 08-20-2014).]
My high school typing teacher taught us 2 spaces, and I've been using it ever since.
I have noticed that other people I've talked with also said that they were taught to use two spaces, in HS typing class. Of course, all of those folks are about my age and learned on manual typewriters.
I had been taught 2 spaces, and have done it that way my entire life. I have never had anyone complain that it looks awkward. Never. I had been taught 2 spaces, and have done it that way my entire life. I have never had anyone complain that it looks awkward. Never.
Put back to back, most people would notice. Don't put it back to back, most people wouldn't notice. I just used 2 spaces between one sentence in this paragraph, and 1 space between the other. Did you notice? That I went back to 2? And then back to one? And then back to two?
Try that.
[This message has been edited by Formula88 (edited 08-21-2014).]
I have noticed that other people I've talked with also said that they were taught to use two spaces, in HS typing class. Of course, all of those folks are about my age and learned on manual typewriters.
Mine was an Smith Corona electric.
With the little blonde next to me, I'm surprised I learned anything in that class besides flirting.
When in high school, I took a business curriculum including Typing I, Typing II and Advanced Typing. The standard teaching, and this was nationwide because when I competed in the National Typing Contests, everyone from across the country used 2 spaces after any text with punctuation with a period at the end. This includes ! ? : and . Anything with a comma got one space. That would be the semi-colon. Of course, that was in the 60's when we took typing, used 8 fingers and 1 thumb, not in the new millennium where they use 2 fingers or 2 thumbs and spell funetikly.
Edited for number of fingers used.
[This message has been edited by fierofool (edited 08-22-2014).]
I had an English teacher (note: not a professor) in college comment on my writing style; saying it was decidedly conversational and wouldn't do well in an academic setting. I told her that I wasn't writing scientific papers, I was telling an informative story about a subject I'd personally studied for several years. She didn't say much past that point; only that my writing was extremely easy to read and follow. I dropped out after that semester anyway.
For the record, I generally use a single space... Unless I fat finger the keyboard on my phone.
One SPACE, not one LINE!
In high school, I was taught to use 2 spaces at the end of a sentence, regardless of the type of puncutation (period, question mark, exclamation point, etc). Of course back then, we had state of the art IBM Selectric typewriters. I still use 2 spaces and always will, dammit!
1964 in Room 21, Royal manual machines in Mrs Bobbit's Typing I class, on the chalkboard: "Punctuation ends the sentence, not spaces. One space after the punctuation at the end of a sentence."
Took Typing II the next year in the same room, same teacher, same message on the blackboard--I liked the girls.
How things became convoluted (2 spaces) after that is anyone's guess.
