Readers Respond: One Space or Two - What Do You Do?

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Update 11/17/2010: Posts are not edited to remove spaces. That's just the way HTML does things. The browser/software strips the spaces so even if those in support of 2 spaces type their comments that way, they won't show up with 2 spaces. No conspiracy. It's just the way the Web works. What's Your Preference?

One over two

I prefer one space over two, it saves time, it saves energy, and though I learned two spaces first, I have somehow changed to one space. Why not change to one, it will save time, and you will be with the rest of us modern people.

—Guest Zapperier

Two spaces is best!

"One space - definitely! We use full justification and if there are two spaces between sentences, the space gets wider when the line is justified, so it's not aesthetically pleasing. —Guest Maria Felten" Ha ha ha. What a joke! Justified text is the worst convention ever started. It is the least aesthetically pleasing practice of all! Here we are arguing about one or two spaces after sentences when justified text can have one, two, three and more spaces between words with different spacing between words in consecutive sentence! Ugh! The worst convention ever!

—Guest Bob

I prefer two spaces

Does this sentence have two spaces after it? I hope so! (Guide note: No, in HTML there won't be two spaces unless you explicitly code an extra space... otherwise they get stripped out automatically leaving just one space.)

—Guest Dale

One space or two:

I prefer two spaces, and I am a computer scientist born after 1970. I agree that since punctuation embedded within a sentence is followed by a single space, punctuation used to separate sentences should be differentiated by using two spaces. I also have some minor eyesight problems and the double space is much cleaner and clearer to read. It improves both my speed and reading comprehension significantly.

—guest

Typists Prevail - Two Spaces Rules!

I am a touch typist trained before the days of what has now become known as “keyboarding.” Two spaces between punctuation marks that end a sentence was a requirement. Ditto for certain other punctuation marks, particularly the colon. Bad grades ensued for those not following this requirement. I am no longer subject to the “grading” scale but still believe that the original reason for the two spaces ending a sentence is valid today. That reason was, is, and will always be – for ease of reading to the reader. The argument of proportionally spaced fonts is ridiculous. The eye catches that second white space much quicker and easier whether there is mono-spaced or proportional spaced fonts. Thus, easing the stain on the reader’s eye. Therefore, I have not, and don’t plan to, retrain myself to use one space. Furthermore, I would encourage all to use two spaces.

—BobZ1946

My Preference

I think one space unless of course the fond is little and then to make sure the sentences are definietly seperated then I would put two spaces.

—Guest Jackie

One space for me

It occurred to me one day that in the days of the old Underwood and Smith-Corona typewriters when characters were evenly spaced, it was necessary to use two spaces to separate sentences. Then when modern day word processors came on the scene and could use a wide range of kerned fonts, two spaces seemed out of place. That's when I began using one space. Count me as a one-spacer.

—RAMcI

9 of 10 accomplished professionals

Maybe you (OP) are the one who is wrong. The two space requirement did come out of typesetting specifications and now it is an accepted standard. It is what "we the people" prefer and it is correct.

—Guest Brett

Two spaces

Two spaces is more readable and enjoyable, in my opinion

—Guest dave

Two spaces after a period.

Two spaces after a period, one space after a comma (or semicolon). Two spaces between sentences, one space between words. It makes sense, looks better, is more readable. I will keep doing it. Note: I understand your editor will change this to its preferred form - if you are taking a poll on this issue, you should at least allow the respondents to use the form they prefer without making them all conform the chosen style of your editor.

—Guest Aravinda

Dr. KnowItAll

I never used 2 until someone told me it was correct. I resisted at first but came to like 2 better, and here's why: You have one space between words, and although the period is small, I agree with those who think it looks and reads better to set sentences apart by 2 spaces.

—Guest David

Spacing systemized

There is a structure to spacing. No spaces between letters in a word. One space between words. Two spaces between sentences. Tab/indent or line space between paragraphs. Several line spaces or a new page between sections or chapters. Covers between books. Moreover, visual space cues are even more necessary for the reader of a proportional font text than in the non-proportional fonts of typewriter days.

—Guest AdamN

Wake up and smell the internet

You defenders of the archaic and space wasting practice of putting two spaces following ending punctuation realize that virtually no website on the internet, no book, and no magazine use double spacing, right? Your "readability" argument goes out the door when you obviously have no problem reading articles. HTML, the language that web pages are written in, automatically removes extra spaces between sentences. Go on, try it. See? further, there's literally zero evidence that putting two spaces after ending punctuation makes text easier to read.

—Guest Zadoc

growing up with two

I was taught in typing over 20 years ago to use two spaces. Over and over I heard my typing teacher reinforce the two spaces after a period. However over the last few years I have grown use to the one space. I find quite easy to switch between one or two spaces. I have no real preference. Old school says two, technology dictates one. I think it should be left to the preference of the individual.

—Guest cjhudspeth

2 spaces for faster readers?? lol

I loved Dave's comment on how it's easier to read with 2 spaces and that maybe it's okay for "slow readers" so they prefer it.. lol First of all, somebody's got some low-self esteem, eh? Way to pat yourself on the back of a 'grammar' article that I'm not even sure why I'm reading right now.. But with that said, I've worked as both a computer programmer and a web/marketing designer for the past 10 years or so, and really, there's NO need for 2 spaces. As mentioned, most fonts automatically compensate for the extra space. And in programming, an extra space will cause numerous errors (and why HTML doesn't parse double spaces). Finally, the people saying a comma is a short pause, a period is a longer pause, and a paragraph is an even longer one??... oh my.. Really?? Pretty sure a comma is a pause during the same statement. Where a period is the end or "full stop" of that statement.. and really, a paragraph?? Pretty sure that's a new topic. Hello 2nd grade English.

—Guest ToDave