When did two spaces after a period change?

In the April 2020 update, Microsoft Word started highlighting two spaces after a period as an error, and offers a correction of one space.

Are you supposed to put 1 or 2 spaces after a period?

So which is it? According to the AP Stylebook, single-spacing is correct. The same goes for the Chicago Manual of Style. However, the Modern Language Association Style Center offers different advice, and suggests that writers use a single space after a period unless they have been explicitly told otherwise.

Why did we double space after a period?

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.

Does Word automatically put two spaces after period?

Unfortunately, Microsoft Word cannot automatically add two spaces after a period or adjust typing for spacing you prefer, as in WordPerfect, but it can be achieved with a bit of work.

How many spaces after a full stop Oxford?

Use single spaces after a full stop, not double spaces. Commas (Oxford/Harvard) An Oxford comma is one used before an ‘and’ at the end of a list and is used to avoid ambiguity: The family meal was soup, fish and chips, and ice cream.

How many spaces after a period is legal?

two spaces
1. Always place two spaces — no more, no less — after a period or other punctuation ending a sentence. This rule should be applied in all instances, including those where a citation follows the period.

How many spaces go after a period in APA?

one space
Use one space after a period (or other punctuation mark at the end of a sentence) when writing in APA Style. However, if your instructor or non-APA publisher has other requirements (e.g., to use two spaces), follow their specifications. This guidance has been revised from the 6th edition.

What do 3 full stops mean?

ellipsis
An ellipsis is a set of three periods ( . . . ) indicating an omission. Each period should have a single space on either side, except when adjacent to a quotation mark, in which case there should be no space.

Does Bluebook require two spaces after a period?

One space appears to be more correct, is widely used, and required by all of the major style guides including the Government Printing Office style guide and the Chicago Style Manual (both of which the Blue Book point to when it’s silent). Most books, magazines, and professional publications use one space.

Does Bluebook use Oxford comma?

Oxford commas and ampersands should not be used together. Note that in citations, et al. is preferred unless all of the names are particularly relevant. See Bluebook Rule 15.1(b).