How many spaces do you leave after a period at the end of a sentence?
The Old Way – Two Spaces After the Period
Most typewriter fonts (some of us still remember those) are what are called monospaced fonts – every character takes up the same amount of space. An “i” takes up as much space as an “m,” for example. When using a monospaced font, where everything is the same width, it makes sense to type two spaces after a period at the end of a sentence to create a visual break. People who learned to type on a typewriter were taught to put two spaces after a period at the end of a sentence.
The New Way – One Space After the Period
When typing on a computer most fonts are proportional – the characters are different widths. An “i” is narrower than an “m”, and putting extra space between sentences does nothing to improve readability.
So, from those of typewriter vintage, you’re likely to see two spaces, from those of the computer generation, one.
What ending dilemmas are keeping YOU awake at night? Let’s talk.