English Grammar Poll - Please answer

Hey guys, just wanted to get your answer on something. So, I am in the gov't workshop and the facilitators were correcting our work and myself and I think at least a few others did not place two spaces after a period, which they said was proper grammar. I have never heard or been told this, not in H.S. English nor in College English and Journalism.

Am I crazy? Has anyone been told this? Maybe generation has something to do with? Class? I dunno. Please answer, I am curious to know. Thanks.

Ok, I voted for my "no", so we've got one "NO" and one "YES".

I voted yes in this poll. I thought it was common knowledge.

I'm curious to know who is answering, just to get an idea of generation and career?

Yeah I think I was taught that a long while ago. Always double space after the end of a sentence

Back in typing class. Yeah, two spaces.

Thank you, Smith-Corona.

It's not after a sentence, but after every single "."

So like this:

"This is an example of what I am talking about._ _ Putting two spaces after every period, and only one space after a comma._ _ Thank you."

I had to use "_" as spaces because it edited out my double spaces.

Ive never double spaced and ive never been told too.

I've taken both Broadcast:Journalism and I am finishing up my Public Relations course and not once have I been taught to put double-spaces after a period.

I'll look it up in my CP style book and let you know though

Dash wrote:It's not after a sentence, but after every single "."

So like this:

"This is an example of what I am talking about._ _ Putting two spaces after every period, and only one space after a comma._ _ Thank you."

I had to use "_" as spaces because it edited out my double spaces.

How do you put a period in if it's not the end of a sentence? Just curious.

M_Christopher wrote:I've taken both Broadcast:Journalism and I am finishing up my Public Relations course and not once have I been taught to put double-spaces after a period.

I'll look it up in my CP style book and let you know though

Thanks, I was hoping you would answer, based on your background. I am glad you answered NO, cause my late Prof Gord Grant, a chief in the CP never told us that. And he was strict with grammar.

Alright, so nowhere in the CP (Canadian Press) Style guide does it mention double-spacing after each sentence.

My assumtion is that it's a dated-format.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

Dash wrote:It's not after a sentence, but after every single "."

So like this:

"This is an example of what I am talking about._ _ Putting two spaces after every period, and only one space after a comma._ _ Thank you."

I had to use "_" as spaces because it edited out my double spaces.

How do you put a period in if it's not the end of a sentence? Just curious.

Sorry if that was confusing.. I meant not hitting "return" after a sentence/paragraph, but pressing 'spacebar' twice after a period. Just wanted to make sure I was clear.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

Dash wrote:It's not after a sentence, but after every single "."

So like this:

"This is an example of what I am talking about._ _ Putting two spaces after every period, and only one space after a comma._ _ Thank you."

I had to use "_" as spaces because it edited out my double spaces.

How do you put a period in if it's not the end of a sentence? Just curious.

You can end a sentence with a ? or a !

Maybe it's not a grammar rule and just a typing rule.

M_Christopher wrote:Alright, so nowhere in the CP (Canadian Press) Style guide does it mention double-spacing after each sentence.

My assumtion is that it's a dated-format.

Yeah that's what I thought too.

M_Christopher wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

Dash wrote:It's not after a sentence, but after every single "."

So like this:

"This is an example of what I am talking about._ _ Putting two spaces after every period, and only one space after a comma._ _ Thank you."

I had to use "_" as spaces because it edited out my double spaces.

How do you put a period in if it's not the end of a sentence? Just curious.

You can end a sentence with a ? or a !

Thank you for clearing that up. So it's only the period that's the issue then.

M_Christopher wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

Dash wrote:It's not after a sentence, but after every single "."

So like this:

"This is an example of what I am talking about._ _ Putting two spaces after every period, and only one space after a comma._ _ Thank you."

I had to use "_" as spaces because it edited out my double spaces.

How do you put a period in if it's not the end of a sentence? Just curious.

You can end a sentence with a ? or a !

Yeah, apparently they say to double space after any sentence, so yeah not just a period lol. And they are not sure if it is a typing or grammatical debate.

Dash wrote:

M_Christopher wrote:Alright, so nowhere in the CP (Canadian Press) Style guide does it mention double-spacing after each sentence.

My assumtion is that it's a dated-format.

Yeah that's what I thought too.

Correct spelling is also a dated format. It gets 2 long 2 spell all thoze wordz!!! ttyl

Dash wrote:

M_Christopher wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

Dash wrote:It's not after a sentence, but after every single "."

So like this:

"This is an example of what I am talking about._ _ Putting two spaces after every period, and only one space after a comma._ _ Thank you."

I had to use "_" as spaces because it edited out my double spaces.

How do you put a period in if it's not the end of a sentence? Just curious.

You can end a sentence with a ? or a !

Yeah, apparently they say to double space after any sentence, so yeah not just a period lol. And they are not sure if it is a typing or grammatical debate.

From what I've been able to find it's a hold over from the days of the type writer where all letters had the exact same spacing so double spacing after punctuation made it easier to see where sentences ended and began.

Dash wrote:Hey guys, just wanted to get your answer on something. So, I am in the gov't workshop and the facilitators were correcting our work and myself and I think at least a few others did not place two spaces after a period, which they said was proper grammar. I have never heard or been told this, not in H.S. English nor in College English and Journalism.

Am I crazy? Has anyone been told this? Maybe generation has something to do with? Class? I dunno. Please answer, I am curious to know. Thanks.

You should have asked them why MS Word (although not the best authority on all things grammar) gives you a green underline any time you do that. I was told that in grade school, but since then its been frowned upon. My understanding is it is no longer proper english. A lot of classical rules have gone out the window, I think.

Dash wrote:It's not after a sentence, but after every single "."

So like this:

"This is an example of what I am talking about._ _ Putting two spaces after every period, and only one space after a comma._ _ Thank you."

I had to use "_" as spaces because it edited out my double spaces.

Thats a sentence fragment

Dash wrote:

M_Christopher wrote:Alright, so nowhere in the CP (Canadian Press) Style guide does it mention double-spacing after each sentence.

My assumtion is that it's a dated-format.

Yeah that's what I thought too.

me too.

I`ve taken tons of grammar classes in my life and I never heard of this.

I'm not sure what's correct but I know I was taught to double space after all periods. I've always done it although I know most people don't.

All you have to do is look at every piece of paper you receive in the mail or you see in a standard office and you won't see two spaces after each sentence.

I answered Yes so that's the answer. Thank-you.

Two spaces after a period, one space after a comma.

No one does that though...

First, double-spacing is not grammatical, it's syntax.
The use of double-spacing, or more appropriately known as full-stops, was used during the years of typewriting when monospaced typefaces were used.
The full-stops were used to denote the end of a sentence within a paragraph because the spacing between letters was significantly larger than it is now -- also known as kerning and tracking for those who are familiar with print tradition.
The Canadian Press style guide wouldn't have anything on this in it's book because newspapers use font justifications in their newsprint and computers have different em spacing than typewriters.
While some might encourage the use of double-spacing after full stops, it's a pretty outdated technique. Especially with computers adjusting the tracking of letters, there really shouldn't be anymore confusion as to when one sentence ends and the other begins.
Unless you were typing your work on relics, I'd argue with your facilitators that they are imbeciles and don't know the correct meaning of the word grammar, let alone the purpose of double spacing after sentences.
Hope this helps.

SpezDispenser wrote:Two spaces after a period, one space after a comma.

Are you working on one of these bad boys, Spez?

Dash wrote:Hey guys, just wanted to get your answer on something. So, I am in the gov't workshop and the facilitators were correcting our work and myself and I think at least a few others did not place two spaces after a period, which they said was proper grammar. I have never heard or been told this, not in H.S. English nor in College English and Journalism.

Am I crazy? Has anyone been told this? Maybe generation has something to do with? Class? I dunno. Please answer, I am curious to know. Thanks.

I'm 28 years old and all throughout elementary and high school I was told to put 2 spaces after a period. I was also told to put 2 or 3 spaces at the beginning of a paragraph.

SeawaySensFan wrote:Maybe it's not a grammar rule and just a typing rule.

That could be true. It might only apply to typing (Typewriter)

Yeah I was taught two spaces back in middle school

SensGirl11 wrote:

Dash wrote:Hey guys, just wanted to get your answer on something. So, I am in the gov't workshop and the facilitators were correcting our work and myself and I think at least a few others did not place two spaces after a period, which they said was proper grammar. I have never heard or been told this, not in H.S. English nor in College English and Journalism.

Am I crazy? Has anyone been told this? Maybe generation has something to do with? Class? I dunno. Please answer, I am curious to know. Thanks.

I'm 28 years old and all throughout elementary and high school I was told to put 2 spaces after a period. I was also told to put 2 or 3 spaces at the beginning of a paragraph.

That's an indentation. In typography it's used to denote the beginning of a new paragraph. However, I don't know why you were taught in high school to double space after periods. It's so ridiculously outdated that there isn't a single word-processing program on the market right now that accepts full stop spacing.

Ok, thanks for all your replies. The double spacing definitely is a type-writing practice and I would say rarely used today. Computer word processors do not recognize the double space, and most web dialog boxes, like this one, do not either and will auto-correct it.

I wasn't so much arguing that it was wrong, but more that not double spacing is not wrong.

PKC wrote:

SensGirl11 wrote:

Dash wrote:Hey guys, just wanted to get your answer on something. So, I am in the gov't workshop and the facilitators were correcting our work and myself and I think at least a few others did not place two spaces after a period, which they said was proper grammar. I have never heard or been told this, not in H.S. English nor in College English and Journalism.

Am I crazy? Has anyone been told this? Maybe generation has something to do with? Class? I dunno. Please answer, I am curious to know. Thanks.

I'm 28 years old and all throughout elementary and high school I was told to put 2 spaces after a period. I was also told to put 2 or 3 spaces at the beginning of a paragraph.

That's an indentation. In typography it's used to denote the beginning of a new paragraph. However, I don't know why you were taught in high school to double space after periods. It's so ridiculously outdated that there isn't a single word-processing program on the market right now that accepts full stop spacing.

It may have only been elementary school then. It's been so long, I can't even remember. We only got computers in high school when I was in grade 10.

I just wrote a sentence and added my double space (I still do it, just realized) and Word didn't correct it. So, I'm not sure. I am doing it now as I write this too! I always do apparently.

I see that it corrected it here though...weird.

Gohan wrote:No one does that though...

I do. It's a nice habit to get into. I guess it helps me that I write fiction on the side, but I've always adhered to the 2 spaces after a period and one after a comma.