To not put a double space before a sentence?

[beeefcake]

Having a debate with a colleague who insists the correct way to type is with a double space before the start of each sentence within a paragraph.

To me this looks strange and is unnecessary with modern word formatting which naturally creates a slightly bigger space after a full stop.

AIBU???????

It takes me more time when typing to remember and make the effort to do single spaces, so I don't do it. I don't think it's right or wrong, it's just what I do. I wouldn't hit my 90 wpm if I did it differently.

And on the internet it all gets evened out anyway. For eg I'm using double spaces here but it won't come out that way.

This explains why when I open reports from one particular colleague on word it is full of the green grammar lines (no idea if they have a proper name) since he must do the double space.

I think, as said by pps, it's a matter of house style.

I didn't know it would take a lot of work to change, though. I always assumed you'd e able to use 'find and replace' to swap [full stop, space, space] for [full stop, space].

To my knowledge - this was the correct way to do it - maybe its because im old school.

I do a double space and had no idea this was now outdated! Better check my CV...

I was taught to double space, but I have stopped doing now that very few other people do!

I think it is now most usual to only use one space.

I'm an editor and writer and single space after full stop is correct now. I correct double spaces if any sneak through in what I'm working on.

Me and my DM had a similar argument. I googled to shut her argument down and I'm sure it has something to do with typewriter setups?

Anyway, you are right as many a PP have said.

I write for a living and our house style is to single space between sentences. I’ve never been asked to double space anywhere I’ve worked.

Last human to use two spaces after a full stop dies

Ah just read Teatime has enlightened all about the typewriter thing. Thought I was being all clever then too .

If I am on a computer and doing something official then i double space, as much out of habit as anything.

Never pay much attention to what other people do though

Single space is the most common now. However double space isn't incorrect. If someone was taught to touch-type in the "old days" they won't be able to help themselves. It was required when you learned that and did the old RSA qualifications and similar. It's like breathing... As I am demonstrating now...

I assumed everyone put 2 spaces after a full stop and am surprised that it is considered old fashioned. Mind you, my children regularly tell me I'm elderly, so maybe I shouldn't be surprised......

I learned to double space after a full stop when I learned to touch type on a typewriter but was told by, my DS I think it was, quite some time ago that it was no longer the general way.

I don't do it anymore and if I see it now I think it looks a bit odd.

I double-space too - and in my job that means I am responsible for thrusting my preference onto a lot of people who end up reading what I write! THE POWER I WIELD! .

In the same spirit of skeuomorphism, doesn't a double space on an iphone (maybe others too) insert a full stop?

Do the people who think 2 spaces is the only correct way not get annoyed reading mumsnet, or indeed 99% of everything else on the web who single space as web browsers will always single space unless quite a lot of effort is done to change that.

I don't put a double space before a sentence, I put a double space AFTER a full stop . I understood the reason was to indicate a longer breath when you are reading it. One space after a comma (short gap) and two spaces after a full stop (longer pause). I find it easier to read text that has double spaces after full stops, and automatically type that way.

I'll be interested to see if this MN post gets the double gaps removed after I hit post.

I was trained at secretarial college to put a double space after a full stop, and I still do it now. It just looks right. This was a long time ago, though.

Used to be standard practice for typing. It generally isn't anymore, but some old-fashioned style guides will still stipulate it. Can't really get myself worked up about it.

It doesn't really bother me what other people do (to an extent - there are habits that really irritate me, such as using "alot", "could of" and the frequently misused apostrophe etc, because they are so basic) - but in the main I recognise that the way I was taught to double space is no longer the current method - c'est la vie.

That said, give me an erroneous double space between words on professional stuff and I hulk out. Can spot 'em a mile off.

I do court transcripts and their style requires double spaces. I never got in the habit so rather than try (and fail) to remember, I do a replace all at the end to put in the spaces. Looks weird and unnecessary to me.

Double spacing is so old. I remember my uni lecturers telling us if anyone had been taught this by parents it was not acceptable when submitting essays. No one in the room knew what he was talking about, we all had to Google. I'm 37.

I was taught to do this and always do so. Look I just did it!!