How do I change to single space after a period in Word?
To change the setting, open any Word document and click File > Options. Next, select Proofing > Settings. Scroll down to the “Punctuation Conventions” section, change the “Spaces Between Sentences” to “Two Spaces,” and then click the “OK” button.
When did it change to one space after a period?
Magazines, newspapers, and books began to adopt the single space convention in the United States in the 1940s and in the United Kingdom in the 1950s. Typists did not move to single spacing simultaneously. The average writer still relied on the typewriter to create text—with its mechanical spacing limitations.
Why is there only one space after a period now?
The two-space convention is left over from the days of typewriters. (This is called a mono-spaced font.) With a typewriter, it makes sense to add an extra space to make it clear that the sentence has ended. Today’s word-processing software makes fonts proportional, though, which is why we only need one space.
Does Word automatically put two spaces after period?
Word doesn’t have a way to automatically insert two spaces after a sentence, but you can have the grammar checker flag places in your document where you put one space at end of a sentence. Word will now flag each occurrence of a single space after a period, whether it be at the end of a sentence or elsewhere.
Do you double space after a period in APA 7th edition?
A manual directs authors to use two spaces after a period (American Psychological Association, 2010, p. Washington, DC: Author. APA 7th Edition. The APA manual directs authors to use one space after a period (American Psychological Association, 2020, p.
Do you need 2 spaces after a period?
Nearly all style guides agree that one space is correct. 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.
Why two spaces after period is wrong?
Putting two spaces after a period made sense in the mechanical age, when the letters produced by typewriters were all the same width. In these digital days, different letters have variable widths, making words and sentences easier to read. The AP and the Chicago Manual of Style both say one space is sufficient.
Should I use two spaces after a period?
Unless you are typing on an actual typewriter, you no longer have to put two spaces after a period. Or a question mark. Or an exclamation point. The rule applies to all end punctuation.
How do you double space after period APA?
Under Spacing, Line Spacing, select Double and then click OK. Put two spaces after the period for each sentence in the body of the paper (Note, use only one space after a period in your references at the end of the paper).
How many spaces after a period in a sentence?
The “two spaces after period” rule was established during the days of typesetters , when additional space was needed to show the difference between the spacing between words (which was smaller) and the spacing between sentences (which was larger).
How many spaces after a period, again?
As a general rule, put one space after a period, comma, colon, semicolon, question mark, or exclamation point. But if a closing quotation mark immediately follows any one of these marks, don’t insert a space between the two marks.
Should you double space after a sentence?
Spaces between sentences. The old typographical superstition that it’s proper to use two spaces after a sentence should be laid to rest. Virtually every major style guide recommends a single space, and most major publishers and publications comply.