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???????

Windows products autocorrect to one space

Do they? Not any Windows products I use do that (work or home).

I keep seeing it in documents drafted by (mainly) older colleagues and used to bother me so much! I didn't know it is an old fashioned way of doing things. This thread is enlightening.

I frikkin' love a double space, a properly used hyphen, and an Oxford comma. So take that. Grammar-abusers.

I'm just testing. Wow! I don't need to put in full stops anymore.

I was taught this way. Mid/late 30s now, I had no idea it was no longer in favour. Another example of me becoming increasingly irrelevant and out of touch.

I think you're showing you're behind the times by using Windows.

This drives me absolutely mad! In every document I receive I do a global find & replace to replace all the double spaces with single. It was a rule for people learning to use a typewriter with monospaced typefaces to type two spaces after a full stop. A word processor is not a typewriter, and nearly all typefaces now are proportionally spaced. There is no excuse whatsoever for typing two spaces and it is infuriating that some people are still being taught this.

There is also no excuse for ever pressing the return key twice in succession. If you need more space between paragraphs, edit the paragraph style. Extra blank lines end up appearing at the top of pages when someone edits the text. And will people please stop leaving headings at the bottom of pages with the following text on the next page? Just edit the paragraph style to keep the heading with the following paragraph.

I would say less than 5% of staff of any grade in my workplace have basic word-processing skills (and don't get me started on spreadsheets), yet all their CVs say they are "computer-literate" or "expert" in Microsoft Office.

That's how I was taught in admin at school. I don't do it anymore,but I actually think it looks better.

I used to be a two spacer when I learned to type on a typewriter and did my RSA exams back in the 80s, but I changed to single spacing at some point & that's what I've done since. I do love an Oxford comma, though, some things I won't change.

I was taught way back when to use three spaces after a full stop, two after a colon or semi colon. I still do it.

It's quite amusing how all the ONE SPACE OR DEATH posters are like no one ever does that anymore... except half the other posters... Much like slang, these things ebb and flow with fashions, and there is actually no set way to do it.

Is this going to be one of those things where the knives come out?

Personally I think those posters that deliberately change the work of their colleagues are bang out of order. Unless there is a formal style guide for your organisation, stylistic choices are made with intent and should be respected.

Possibly because some of the 'one space or die' people are publishing professionals and spend all day on this stuff.

I worked for 10 years in publishing before moving into PR so yes, I’m definitely one space die. :)

I’m a copyeditor - grew up having been taught two spaces, but now one space is the accepted one!

I am in my early 30s and I literally had never even heard of double spacing until I read this thread. How have I missed this? And what is the benefit to a double space? I'm not sure I would notice somebody else doing it though if I was reading something. I do find it odd though

I'm 30, and Mavis Beacon taught me to double space. I don't though. I can't be arsed.

I'm not sure I would notice somebody else doing it though if I was reading something. I do find it odd though

I think you'd probably think it looked a bit 'wrong' but not be able to put your finger on why. Spacing is one of those things that makes a text look professional or not but that are hard to identify - once something has been typeset for publication and so the kerning (spacing) has been done professionally it suddenly 'looks like a real book', even though it's hard (for someone whose job it isn't) to explain why.

I'm trying to work out what it looks like. This? There is quite a big gap. Never seen it before. It looks odd. I don't know anyone who types like this.

I think MN corrected my double spacing when I pressed 'post' !!

I used to do it and was taught to always double space but then worked in publishing and it wasn’t convention. Took a few months to break the habit but would feel odd to do it now!

minniemummy0 - it's not a silly thing to dream of at all, and it's a dream that will keep you going. Don't worry about single or double spacing, just get your fantastic idea out there - it's not as scary as some people would have you believe. 99% of people I have met in publishing are absolutely lovely, and the other 1% get found out pretty quickly .

HTML automatically gets rid of double spaces :)

HTML automatically gets rid of double spaces

Which is why I find it weird when people say double spacing is much more readable - since basically all online and professionally printed text is single spaced after a full stop, it has to be what you're much more used to seeing unless your sole reading material is your colleagues' Word documents!

I don't really understand why people are so passionate about this.

BECAUSE!!!!!!!