# Computer typing: one space or two after a fullstop?



## viztopia (23 Mar 2007)

I have always left one space after a full stop before typing again. As i have just done. a new worker in our office says no it is two spaces and one after a comma. Does anyone know which is correct?


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## AlastairSC (23 Mar 2007)

*Re: Computer typing*

AFAIK, both conventions are acceptable but the two-space after a period is the stricter rule. Depends where you did your typing training...


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## MsGinger (23 Mar 2007)

*Re: Computer typing*

I go with your co-worker - I've always left two after a full stop and one after a comma.


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## gipimann (23 Mar 2007)

*Re: Computer typing*

Having learned how to type back in the days of real typewriters (!), I was taught 1 space after a comma and 3 spaces after a full stop!


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## aircobra19 (23 Mar 2007)

*Re: Computer typing*

Depends what its for. If its for electronic publishing then one stop is a limitation of the technology and tools used. So it has become more common. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_stop


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## Dreamerb (23 Mar 2007)

*Re: Computer typing*



viztopia said:


> I have always left one space after a full stop before typing again. As i have just done. a new worker in our office says no it is two spaces and one after a comma. Does anyone know which is correct?


Either is correct, depending on the convention you're using. I have a personal prejudice against the two-spaces-after-full-stop myself, because the spacing can get badly messed up if you're justifying the text, specially if you're using a large font-size. As such, I have to repress the terrible urge to "correct" colleagues' work sent to me for comment. It's probably character building! 

If your new co-worker is insisting one is right and the other wrong, s/he may need a little gentle reminder that there is more than one way to skin a cat... or an irritating co-worker.


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## Cahir (23 Mar 2007)

*Re: Computer typing*

I did typing/word processing in school and we were taught two spaces after a full stop.  I hate seeing only one space.


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## aircobra19 (23 Mar 2007)

*Re: Computer typing*

Just for fun, vary it at random, one two and occasionally 3 dots. 

You can do a find and replace on ". " or ".  " and make it consistent if they are that bothered.


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## ClubMan (23 Mar 2007)

*Re: Computer typing*

Never heard of the two spaces after a full stop rule myself. Maybe that's how trained typists do it or something but I doubt that it has much relevance on computers per se?


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## Graham_07 (23 Mar 2007)

*Re: Computer typing*

Been typing on PCs since 1990, self taught.  Never heard of two space rule until today.  Now I'm wondering about all the business letters I sent over those years.  Have I been the butt of office jokes all over the country !! I'll never look at a space the same way again.


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## muffin1973 (23 Mar 2007)

*Re: Computer typing*

Did a course to learn how to type years ago - taught to leave two spaces after a full stop.  

M


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## mo3art (23 Mar 2007)

*Re: Computer typing*

I've typing qualifications - I would use the 2 x spaces after a full stop. As a typing trainer - I can tell you that there are no hard and fast rules, it depends on who has trained you.  Pitman trained typists use 2 x spaces in my experience.  However when doing typing tests, if you use 2 x spaces then you can fail a test on accuracy!
So long as your text is grammatically correct and legible, I don't think it matters how many full stops you use.


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## Aoileen (23 Mar 2007)

*Re: Computer typing*

Was thought in school (by very strict nuns!) that 2 spaces should be after a full stop and 1 after a comma


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## ClubMan (23 Mar 2007)

*Re: Computer typing*



Aoileen said:


> Was thought in school (by very strict nuns!) that 2 spaces should be after a full stop and 1 after a comma


Thanks - you have just convinced me that I should continue to use one so!


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## ajapale (23 Mar 2007)

This question arose here on AAM about 4 years ago. Ill search and post the link here if I can find it.

This is what wiki has to say about "spacing after a full stop".
and this is interesting from [broken link removed] 

aj


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## Yachtie (23 Mar 2007)

*Re: Computer typing*



Cahir said:


> I did typing/word processing in school and we were taught two spaces after a full stop. I hate seeing only one space.


 
I think there is only ONE space after a full stop in your post...


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## sloggi (23 Mar 2007)

so THAT's why justified text goes abnormaly wrong for me!  my mother taught me the 2 space rule but reckon it could be civil service hang up bred in by the nuns (cover your ears Clubman ).  personally i scan text (work related stuff) and find the lack of 2 spaces after a sentence a bit off putting.  that said, i adhere to the 2 space rule yet dont use capitals at the begining of a sentence, can barely spell without spell checker and would have a job to point out a noun in a sentence, so perhaps the new rule should be whatever works for Word!!


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## Gordanus (24 Mar 2007)

*Re: Computer typing*



mo3art said:


> So long as your text is grammatically correct and legible, I don't think it matters how many full stops you use.



I tend just to use one full stop myself at the end of sentences.  O, here goes.......................................


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## mo3art (24 Mar 2007)

*Re: Computer typing*



Gordanus said:


> I tend just to use one full stop myself at the end of sentences.  O, here goes.......................................



Oh This post will be deleted if not edited to remove bad language, I read over that post 3 times and still didn't pick up on it!

Of course I meant spaces.....................


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## Cahir (27 Mar 2007)

*Re: Computer typing*



Yachtie said:


> I think there is only ONE space after a full stop in your post...



I know and I definitely put in two.  Maybe it's a default.  I put two spaces in this time too but it will probably come up as one again!


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## Cahir (27 Mar 2007)

Yep it's coming up as one!


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## Welfarite (27 Mar 2007)

sloggi said:


> so THAT's why justified text goes abnormaly wrong for me!  my mother taught me the 2 space rule but reckon it could be civil service hang up bred in by the nuns (cover your ears Clubman ).  personally i scan text (work related stuff) and find the lack of 2 spaces after a sentence a bit off putting.  that said, i adhere to the 2 space rule yet dont use capitals at the begining of a sentence, can barely spell without spell checker and would have a job to point out a noun in a sentence, so perhaps the new rule should be whatever works for Word!!



2 space rule was used pre-computer days by all typists who recieved proper training. Remember, these guys had to type perfectly at 60 WPM. Computers have made the rules of typing obsolete, what with autocorrect, etc, etc. so we all are probably incompetent and an insult to the typist profession! 

As a test, try getting an old typrewriter, now put in your carbon and type a perfect letter for your boss from your shorthand dictation notes in five muinutes flat!


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## DrMoriarty (27 Mar 2007)

*Re: Computer typing*



Gordanus said:


> O, here goes.......................................
> [...]
> Oh This post will be deleted if not edited to remove bad language, [...]


Gordanus, you might strive for greater consistency in your use of interjections (with or without commas).


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## Lauren (27 Mar 2007)

Was taught by a nun with a big stick on a manual typewriter and it was always two spaces after a full stop. Typewriter had stickers covering all the keys so we learned how to touchtype...However in computer keyboard training we were told to ignore that rule as word processing packages allow for a little more space after a full stop? As other posters have said, when you start justifying text that has the two spaces, it can look really odd.....
I used to hate typing class (and the mad nun)...but am happy today that I can touch type....!


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## noilh (23 May 2007)

I always put two as putting only doesn't look well and the sentences appear to run into one another.  It's easier to read a document if you have 2 or 3 spaces after full stops.


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## Rois (18 Dec 2009)

Taught by nuns and Irish Times Training to always leave 2 spaces after a full stop...


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## onq (18 Dec 2009)

*Re: Computer typing*



Graham_07 said:


> Been typing on PCs since 1990, self taught.  Never heard of two space rule until today.  Now I'm wondering about all the business letters I sent over those years.  Have I been the butt of office jokes all over the country !! I'll never look at a space the same way again.



Take it easy or you'll end up spaced out Graham_07.

ONQ.


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## pudds (18 Dec 2009)

It's funny with computer addresses no abbreviations seem to be required nowadays:-

eg.

Joe Soap
Danger Avenue
Dundrum
Dublin 14


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## Marion (18 Dec 2009)

> It's funny with computer addresses no abbreviations seem to be required nowadays:-
> 
> eg.
> 
> ...



That's a new fangled thing called "Open Punctuation"

Marion


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## ajapale (19 Dec 2009)

pudds said:


> It's funny with computer addresses no abbreviations seem to be required nowadays:-
> 
> eg.
> 
> ...



I imagine that the reason for this is that many databases are exported and imported in comma (or other special character) deliminated format.

While the big corporate systems are able to deal with this little databases that you run up on ms access or excel are not.

Its just as easy to instruct no commas or special characters in the data base and then to put the puncutation in the out put document as required. Addresses such as the one above arise when the punction is not added to the output document.


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## dmos87 (19 Dec 2009)

I have done a secretarial course and it was drilled into us all to use two spaces after a full stop.  Habit dies after a while though, and most people dont give a toss.


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