Full stops .

When we think of full stops, we commonly think about the dot at the end of a sentence. Yet that dot (or ‘period’ in North America) is even more ubiquitous than that, occurring with lists, numbers, time and web addresses.

These uses are straightforward. The most contentious debate relates to whether to place 1 or 2 spaces at the end of a full stop before the next sentence begins.

Style basics
End a standard sentence with a full stop and only 1 space afterwards
... end of a sentence. Start of the next ...

The most common use of the full stop remains to mark the end of a sentence. But do you then add 1 space or 2 before the next begins? The ASG recommends only 1 space.

In the age of the typewriter, it was more common to place 2 spaces at the end of a full stop to ensure that there was enough space between sentences. The physical movement of the typewriter carriage could be unreliable, so adding an extra space was safer than not.

Today, word processors and laser printers achieve guaranteed and precise spacing, so it is no longer necessary to play it safe with 2 spaces.

For those schooled in the days of typewriters who are used to adding a second space, this can be a difficult shift to accept. But it is more consistent and efficient to use just 1 space.

If your sentence ends with an ellipsis (dot dot dot), you don’t need a further full stop after it.

The report outlined major problems ... It made no recommendations.
I don’t understand ... . How did you reach that conclusion?
Lists
Vary your use depending on the type of list

In a sentence fragment list, where each points runs on from the introductory clause, use a full stop only on the final list point.

This year, the organisation plans to:

  • streamline our processes
  • improve project reporting
  • boost our international client base.
In a list that uses full sentences for each point, add a full stop at the end of each point.

This year, the organisation has 3 targets:

  1. Our revised governance strategy will help streamline processes.
  2. New reporting mechanisms will improve project data.
  3. A direct marketing campaign will attract international clients.

In a list on a PowerPoint slide where there is no introductory clause, you can leave out the final full stops but add initial capitals.

Business targets

  • Streamline processes
  • Improve project reporting
  • Boost international client base
Decimal points
Use as the decimal point in numbers
$4.1 million
0.25%

You can use a full stop as your decimal point in any numbers that require one.

Research shows that 6.8% of single-parent families live in relative poverty.
If the number is less than 1, put a 0 before the full stop.
MS Word tables have default cell margins of 0.19 cm.
If you have several decimal numbers in a table column, align them on the full stop.
Time
Use to separate the hours from the minutes
6.45 am
5 pm

To separate hours from minutes in times, use a full stop rather than a colon.

The training will run from 8.30 am to 4.30 pm.
Only show the minutes if they are greater than ‘00’, unless you need to for clarity.
Let’s meet at 10 am tomorrow.
Let’s meet at 10.00 am tomorrow.
Web and email addresses
Use to separate the parts of the domain and username
www.goldbank.com.au

For a web address, use full stops to separate the parts of the domain and any file path:

Scheme (often hidden)DomainDirectory pathFile path
https://www.plainenglishfoundation.com/documents/PEF_doc.pdf

For an email address, use full stops to separate the parts of the username and the domain:

Scheme (often hidden)UsernameAt symbolDomain
mailto:lily.white@plainenglishfoundation.com

If the address comes at the end of the sentence, remember to add the final full stop. But don’t include it in any hyperlink formatting.

To test your style knowledge, take our quiz at www.plainenglishfoundation.com.

Shortened forms
Don’t use in initials, abbreviations, contractions, acronyms or symbols
Prof WH Green
ACCC

For a number of decades, the style trend has been to minimise the use of full stops in abbreviations because it is cleaner and clearer. You don’t need full stops in any of these abbreviated forms:

AbbreviationExamples
Personal initials

D Redwood

HP Brown

  D. Redwood

  H. P. Brown

Abbreviations

4 Apr 2018

Mon, 10 am

  4 Apr. 2020

  Mon., 10 a.m.

Contractions

Dr Tan

19 Seaview Rd

  Dr. Tan

  19 Seaview Rd.

Acronyms and
initialisms

ASIC

RBA

  A.S.I.C.

  R.B.A.

Symbols

30 kg baggage limit

27°C and sunny

  30 kg. baggage limit

  27°C. and sunny

Headings
Don’t use at the end of headings
Executive summary
Our research methods

You don’t need to add a full stop at the end of a heading, even if it is phrased as a full sentence.

Year in review
Research and conclusions.
See also:   Abbreviations,  Contractions,  Decimal numbers,  Ellipses …,  Email addresses,  Lists,  Quote marks ‘ ’ “ ”,  Times,  Web addresses