PUNCTUATION SPACING RULES
1. Space 1 time after a semicolon (;).
The dance looks nice; it shows balance.
2. Space 1 time after a period (.) at
the end of a sentence.
Send it to me. I can print it so fast.
3. Space 1 time after a period (.) used
after an abbreviation.
Ms. Kebo asked Dr. T. S. Laos to speak.
4. Space 0 times after a period (.)
used within an abbreviation.
She earned her PH.D. from Oregon State.
5. Space 1 time after a comma (,).
When Jean called me, I was not at home.
6. Space 1 time after a question mark
(?) at the end of a sentence.
Did you win the prize? What did you get?
7. Space 1 time after a question mark
(?) within a sentence.
8. Space 1 time after a colon (:) used
to introduce a list, an example, or a
quotation.
Two courses are open: science and art.
9. Do not space before or after a
diagonal (/), hyphen (-) or dash (--).
Diagonal (/)
The fall/winter catalog has new colors.
Hyphen (-)
The up-to-date calendar was so helpful.
Dash (--)
That machine—the black one—is broken.
10. When using quotation marks (“):
 Periods and commas always go
inside the final quotation mark.
 Colons and semicolons always go
outside the final quotation mark.
 Question marks and exclamation
points go inside the final quotation
mark if the material within quotes
is a question or exclamatory
phrase.
 Question marks and exclamation
points go outside the final
quotation mark if the material
within quotes is not a question or
exclamatory phrase.
SYMBOLS
@ at
#
number (before a figure)
&
and
#
pound (after a figure)
% percent
‘
feet
$
dollar (s)
“
inches, ditto
=
equal
*
notation, multiplication
+
plus, addition
-
minus, subtraction,
hyphen
/
diagonal
--
dash (2 hyphens)
SPACING RULES:
Leave 1 space before and after the
following symbols:
@
=
& (with words or numbers) *
+ (in an equation)
- (in an equation)
Do not leave any space between a
figure and the following symbols:
%
“
& (with initials)
- (hyphen)
/ (diagonal)
#
‘
@ (email address)
-- (dash)
Do not leave any space after these
symbols when they are followed by a
figure:
$
+ (positive number)
#
- (negative number)