When typing a document are you supposed to leave one, or two spaces after a full stop?

Question

When typing a document are you supposed to leave one, or two spaces after a full stop?

Answer 1

I was taught to type on an old fashioned typewriter, and was taught to leave 2 spaces after the punctuation mark ending a sentence (full stop, question mark, exclamation mark).

As a PA I still follow this rule.  However, many people I work with (who haven't been taught correct secretarial typing) only leave 1.  I guess with more people doing their own typing the 2 space rule will die out.

Answer 2

1 then a capital letter

Answer 3

Just 1 and then capital. If you put 2 microsoft grammar check whould make it an error :D

Answer 4

2

Answer 5

1

Answer 6

The old rule used to be 2 but it isn't so important now.  Just keep it consistent throughout!

Answer 7

One space is correct. Two spaces was taught only for typewriters, where all characters are the same size. It made it easier for the reader to distinguish the sentences.

Many people still use two spaces today simply because that's what they were taught, and have taught others the same thing. However, with most word processing programs nowadays, all characters are of different widths. One space is all that's necessary. When two spaces are used, the sentences appear much too far apart.

Professional typographers have always used only one space, even before typewriters were invented.

Answer 8

One, then a capital letter.

Answer 9

Two after a full stop and one after a comma.  If there is a new rule it doesn't look right to me.  

(Edit) I think this is to do with modern spacing.  On old typewriters every letter occupies the same amount of space and two spaces is the rule, but on modern processors the letters are justified according to the space they need to occupy and one space after a full stop is deemed to be the norm.

Personally, I still think two spaces reads easier and I am staying with that.

Answer 10

It used to be 2, but now it's 1. You can still use the old rule, but don't keep switching back and forth.

Answer 11

1 space now, used to be 2.

Answer 12

I have always used just one.

♥

Answer 13

I was always told to put in 2 spaces... but I now have a computer running on Vista and if I leave 2 spaces I'm awarded a green squiggle.

so to answer your question,

windows two spaces,

vista one space

Answer 14

one and then capitalise the following word

Answer 15

You should use one space when typing a document otherwise the lexiographic proportions are unleaverated.

(in english: it looks crappy!)