Two Spaces After Period

Cnn microsoft has made its typographical decree.

Two spaces after period. Illustration by tara haelle the nation was rocked this week by a paradigm shattering study. Those of a certain age learned how to type using a. Or an exclamation point. The rule applies to all end punctuation.

Unless you are typing on an actual typewriter you no longer have to put two spaces after a period. Only one space after a period is modern and proper. Once considered an advanced form of technology themselves older typewriters were known to produce uneven or unpredictable line spacing. The point is it s not only widely accepted it s expected that you use only one space after a period.

Using two spaces after a period comes from the old days of using a physical typewriter. Or a question mark. Simply write as you always would with two spaces and when you are finished got to the toolbar of your word processing program click edit find replace and then choose to replace all double spaces with single. Sorry two spaces it s time to make the switch.

If you are someone who can t break your two spaces after a period habit have no fear. Two spaces between sentences is too many. The style choice will now be marked as an error in microsoft word and users who press the space bar. Science has definitively found that two spaces after a period in typed text provides the most efficient.

Two spaces were once the norm double spacing after every period used to be standard. The mla handbook for writers of research papers mla waffles. The publication manual of the american psychological association apa was the only style guide that overtly recommended two spaces after a period and even that long time holdout for two spaces changed its guideline to one space in its 2019 update. Quick tip for those who use two spaces.