Double Spacing After Sentences

TechPreacher

Banned
Messages
258
I’m in my 30s, I was called a boomer recently because I double space after sentences. 😂 Now I’m all insecure about it. Are we not double spacing anymore?? I didn’t know that!

Thoughts?

It is one of my pet peeves that my phone defaults to single spacing.
 

forensicbuzz

Helluva Engineer
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North Shore, Chicago
Double spacing after a period has never been proper. There are a lot of theories about why it started, mostly associated with spacing for type-setting or manual typewriters. But if you look at any professionally set document, newspaper, magazine, book, etc., you'll see that a single space follows all punctuation (it's hard to tell sometimes with full justification). If you look at any of the professional style manuals (Chicago Manual of Style, The Associated Press Stylebook, Elements of Style, MLA Handbook, etc.) they all say that it is okay to use 2 spaces, but the proper spacing is a single space after all punctuation.

I'm 51 and I hate when a document has two spaces after a period. It makes for clunky reading and looks horrible.
 

jwsavhGT

Helluva Engineer
Retired Staff
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Savannah,GA
Double spacing after a period has never been proper. There are a lot of theories about why it started, mostly associated with spacing for type-setting or manual typewriters. But if you look at any professionally set document, newspaper, magazine, book, etc., you'll see that a single space follows all punctuation (it's hard to tell sometimes with full justification). If you look at any of the professional style manuals (Chicago Manual of Style, The Associated Press Stylebook, Elements of Style, MLA Handbook, etc.) they all say that it is okay to use 2 spaces, but the proper spacing is a single space after all punctuation.

I'm 51 and I hate when a document has two spaces after a period. It makes for clunky reading and looks horrible.
Sorry to disagree but when I took typing in junior high we were taught that DS was proper. I'm 60 and find that DS after a period makes reading easier because words don't appear to run together. #OldEyesProblems
 
Messages
13,443
Location
Augusta, GA
Double spacing after a period has never been proper. There are a lot of theories about why it started, mostly associated with spacing for type-setting or manual typewriters. But if you look at any professionally set document, newspaper, magazine, book, etc., you'll see that a single space follows all punctuation (it's hard to tell sometimes with full justification). If you look at any of the professional style manuals (Chicago Manual of Style, The Associated Press Stylebook, Elements of Style, MLA Handbook, etc.) they all say that it is okay to use 2 spaces, but the proper spacing is a single space after all punctuation.

I'm 51 and I hate when a document has two spaces after a period. It makes for clunky reading and looks horrible.
What you are claiming is definitely not what was taught in the 50s in schools. I don't know if professional publications adhered to those practices back then or not, but the fact that it was taught indicates they should have. I don't see why you see double-spacing as "clunky" and "horrible". Frankly, I don't even notice it when reading. I am more concerned with the atrocious grammar used even in "professional" publications.
 

Milwaukee

Banned
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7,277
Location
Milwaukee, WI
Double spacing after a period has never been proper. There are a lot of theories about why it started, mostly associated with spacing for type-setting or manual typewriters. But if you look at any professionally set document, newspaper, magazine, book, etc., you'll see that a single space follows all punctuation (it's hard to tell sometimes with full justification). If you look at any of the professional style manuals (Chicago Manual of Style, The Associated Press Stylebook, Elements of Style, MLA Handbook, etc.) they all say that it is okay to use 2 spaces, but the proper spacing is a single space after all punctuation.

I'm 51 and I hate when a document has two spaces after a period. It makes for clunky reading and looks horrible.

Now you’ve gone and done it. Now I’m on a MISSION.
 

Milwaukee

Banned
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7,277
Location
Milwaukee, WI
I think Forensic is right which is what made us laugh. I was formerly taught to DS, but more and more now I don’t see it now that it’s been brought to my attn. I just checked a couple of the newer books I’ve read and they are only single spacing. I’m gonna be the DS police 👮‍♀️ going forward. I’m on a mission from God.
 

GT_EE78

Banned
Messages
3,605
wow. since i barely passed my typing class in HS,maybe that's where i missed out on this one. I've also never noticed it. These threads can be educational . . .
 
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