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Typing: One Space or Two?

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500-bronzesunflowerThe subject of using one space or two between sentences, especially for people used to typing exclusively on typewriters, often creates colorful conflict.

Here’s the history: when monospace (fixed-pitch) fonts, like Courier, were in wide use, it was traditional to leave two spaces between the period and the start of the next sentence. There were definite rules for people who typed documents.

The rules have changed. Today we generally use proportional fonts (in which the width of the characters varies). Monospace fonts are more often used in databases, tables, etc.

Here’s the latest commonly accepted standard in the world of typography: choose one space as a rule unless two spaces are needed to create an adequate visual break between sentences.

There are exceptions. When the fonts are quite small (for example, a 9-10 pt serif font like Times New Roman), using only one space after the period may not always provide a clear visual break between sentences. Generally a larger point size does provide that visual break. When in doubt, use your own judgment.

Maybe or May Be?

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Maybe you’ve wondered about how to use the word “maybe.” Okay. Maybe, the compound word, is an adverb meaning “perhaps” or “possibly.”

The two words “may be” comprise a verb phrase meaning “might be” or “could be.”

Examples:
Maybe I will go out tonight.

I may be going out tonight.

If you’re uncertain about using the word “maybe” or the phrase “may be,” you might try substituting “perhaps”: “Maybe Frankie will take me to the ball game” becomes “Perhaps Frankie will take me to the ball game.”

When the substitution makes sense, go with one word: “maybe.” When you are wondering whether you may be waiting for the wrong vehicle, you’re dealing with a verb and its auxiliary: “may be.” Two words.

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To Lay or to Lie?

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Have you ever seen people get into a heated argument over the right use of the words “lay” and “lie”? It happens.

LAY is a verb meaning “to put” or “to place,” and needs an object to complete its meaning. (Lay, laid, laying.)

    Examples

  • She lay the gift basket on the coffee table.
  • She had laid several gift baskets in the same area.
  • The bookkeeper is always laying the blame on the controller.
  • The tech manual was laid in the box.

Use lay when you set or put something down (book, food, etc.);
place in a resting position (baby for a nap); bury someone or something (they laid the body in the family plot); place, arrange, or spread something on, over, or along a surface (as in laying carpet or linoleum); press something flat (dog laid back its ears); and prepare for a fire (lay a fire).

It’s also what chickens do (lay eggs) and what gamblers do (place or lay a bet).

LIE is a verb meaning “to rest,” “to recline,” “to stay,” or “to be located somewhere,” and it cannot take an object. It also means to be buried, to be in a particular condition or state, to be in a particular direction, to be in store (or still to come), or to stay undisturbed (let sleeping dogs lie).

(Lie, lay, lain, lying.) “Lie” generally refers to a person or an object as getting into a reclining position or already being in that position. It also meant the opposite of truth, but not for this exercise.

    Examples

  • The city lies beneath the soaring silver aircraft.
  • The gold lay hidden for 130 years.
  • Since his stroke, he lies in bed all the time.
  • The college entrance exam has lain unanswered for a week.
  • Pinnacle Peak lay ahead of us as we headed toward the restaurant.
  • Jody’s glasses are lying on the kitchen counter.

A good way to decide whether to use “lie” or “lay” is to substitute the word “place” (or placing, or placed) for whatever word is in question. If it fits, use “lay” or one of its forms.
Otherwise, use “lie” or one of its forms.

With guidance from The Gregg Reference Manual, Ninth Edition, by Sabin, and Encarta® World English Dictionary © & (1999, 2000 Microsoft Corporation).

How to use dashes in text

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fish-5Do you often wonder if you’re using dashes properly? Dashes have distinct uses that often seem blurred in today’s society. Here’s what’s best for writers and those involved in business writing.

Q. When do I use a dash in text?

A. A dash usually replaces a comma, semicolon, colon, or parentheses. When used this way, it creates an EMPHATIC separation of words. Since a dash is versatile, people tend to use it to punctuate almost any break in a sentence. Don’t. It’s best used for EFFECT. And experts say we should never type a single hyphen to represent a “double” dash (em dash).

Author Amy Einsohn says, “The dash is best reserved for special effects: to prepare readers for a punchline or a U-turn.” The Chicago Manual of Style says, “A dash or a pair of dashes is used to denote a sudden break in thought that causes an abrupt change in sentence structure.” Professor Charles Darling suggests thinking of dashes as “super commas.”

There are four kinds of dashes: em, en, two-em, and three-em.

EM DASH

Generally, if you see the word “dash,” the writer means em dash. Most word processing programs give us access to em dashes (the width of a capital “m”). If you don’t have software that has this special character, type two hyphens with no spaces between the words on either side and the dashes, or do one of the following: Keyboard stroke: If you use Windows, hold down the Alt key and type 0151 on the keypad.

To make this autocorrect in Word for Windows:

Go to Menu bar / Tools / click AutoCorrect. In the “Replace” box, type two hyphens. In the “With” box, press Alt + 0151 to create an em-dash, and then click Add. Close.

If you use a Mac and Word, try typing two hyphens. Word should automatically convert them into an em-dash. If not, try this:

Go to Menu bar / Tools / click AutoCorrect. In the “Replace” box, type two hyphens. In the “With” box, press OPTION+SHIFT+- (hyphen) to create an em-dash, and then click Add. Close.

Regardless of whether you use an “em” dash or two hyphens, don’t leave any space before or after the dash.

EN DASH

Use an “en” dash to connect numbers in a range. It means “up to and including” when used like this: “During the years 1998-1999,” and “…people aged 55-63.”

If you don’t have access to an “en” dash, use a hyphen. If you use Windows, hold down the Alt key and type 0150 on the keypad.

TWO-EM DASH

Used to indicate that letters are missing from a word. If you don’t have access to this dash, type four consecutive hyphens with no spaces between. If letters are missing from within a word, leave no space before or after the two-em dash. If the letters are missing at the end of a word, leave no space before it, but leave one space after, unless punctuation is required. Examples:

* Mrs. Birming—- chose to remain anonymous.
* The diagnosis was made by Dr. Boy—-.

Note: You can type a two-em dash by using the keystrokes one after the other with no space between them.

THREE-EM DASH

Used to indicate that an entire word has been left out or needs to be provided. If you don’t have the character for the three-em dash, type six consecutive hyphens. You can type a three-em dash by using the keystrokes three times with no space between them.

Because this dash represents a complete word, leave a space before and after unless punctuation is needed. Three em-dashes are generally also used in bibliographies to represent an author’s name in subsequent entries, once the author’s full name has been given.

NOTE: These rules aren’t written on stone. Many documents you’ll type do not require using the various dashes. But when you’re typing manuscripts, print newsletters, special reports, or anything that requires good typography, use them as described above. If nothing else sticks, make sure you always use two hyphens when you can’t create an em dash. You’ll find more information on dashes at:

References Used:

* The Chicago Manual of Style, 14th Edition ISBN 0-226-10389-7
* The Copyeditor’s Handbook, Amy Einsohn ISBN 0-520-21835-3
* The Gregg Reference Manual, Ninth Edition ISBN 0-02-804046-5

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