The Period Rule By Yolanda M. Johnson-Bryant

In a recent friendly banter with a fellow writer, the topic of punctuation was the root of conversation. We debated whether or not punctuation rules call for one space or two spaces after a period or other punctuation mark. I knew I had heard some time ago that it was no longer required to input two spaces after a period or punctuation mark, but I wasn’t 100% positive. I was challenged to find proof that this exception existed. And you know me, always up for a challenge.

According to the MLA Handbook (Modern Language Association), “Publications in the United States today usually have the same spacing after a punctuation mark as between words on the same line. Since word processors make available the same fonts used by typesetters for printed works, many writers, influenced by the look of typeset publications, now leave only one space after a concluding punctuation mark. In addition, most publishers’ guidelines for preparing electronic manuscripts ask authors to type only the spaces that are to appear in print.

Because it is increasingly common for papers and manuscripts to be prepared with a single space after all punctuation marks, this spacing is shown in the examples in the MLA Handbook and the MLA Style Manual. As a practical matter, however, there is nothing wrong with using two spaces after concluding punctuation marks unless an instructor or editor requests that you do otherwise.”

In further research, I also found that the APA (American Psychological Association) also cited one space after a period or other punctuation mark.

Although the MLA and the APA styles cite only one space after a period or punctuation mark, placing two spaces after is not incorrect. In various other writing styles, the choice is basically left up to that of the writer’s writing style.

So in response to the challenge from my fellow writing colleague, neither of us is wrong and both of us are right. Wow, there aren’t too many things one can say that about is there?