Non-breaking spaces and full stops!

Question

I like to use two spaces after a full stop, simply because I find it easier to read text that doesn't cram all the words together. As I hope you can see in the attached screenshot of some words, with 'hidden' inputs such as spaces revealed, you will see how one of the space symbols looks more like a 'degree' mark (ie a little tiny circle). This creates a non-breaking space between the word before and the word after, whether I want it or not. How do I continue my use of two spaces but without automatically getting something else (ie a non-breaking space)? I just want two spaces and then I'll insert non-breaking spaces as and when I need them as a separate activity!

Answer 1

I faced this issue recently after copying content from an AI tool into Word. The words would break at the end of the sentence, whilst normally, the who word would shift to the next line. Also, some lines would have just 2 words, and it is impossible to organise the paragraph by using centre, justify, etc.

After reading about it, I found that Microsoft and Windows use ANSI—apparently, this is a programming language—and the content I copied was from a Microsoft AI tool. Other developers use the same, so if you copy content into a file that uses UTF-8 (normal language we use in words, I guess), then the space appears in small degree signs or circles—on condition that automatic conversion is not present in the program receiving the content. I had the same issue wherever I sent the content unless I copied it into a professional notepad that had auto-convert.

Anyway, to solve this problem, I simply go to advance find > replace, then copy the space with the degree put in the find section, copy the space with the dot or manually put space using my keyboard, then replace all circles with dots, and it works fine.

I hope this helps.

Answer 2

I've been using Word since the 1980s and not had this until recently! Looking through my latest Word document, on virtually every single occasion I have put in a full stop, followed by two spaces before starting the next sentence, the system has put in the two spaces but marked the second one with that non-breaking-space symbol. Apart from once as it happens, for whatever bizarre reason! But, just like you, when I try out a new document and do the same thing, everything is normal... So I can't reproduce it. Hence I returned to the original, offending document, to put in some more sentences, and it behaves as it should (aggggh! ie no non-breaking spaces inserted automatically)...

Very confusing... In normal circumstances, to insert a non-breaking space, I highlight the space, then use control shift enter to get what I want. So I just don't see how, in a very large document I've put together, so many non-breaking spaces have appeared simply by inserting two spaces...

Answer 3

@Michael Harwood

Based on your description, I have some questions as below.

1. Do you use Word for Mac?
2. Does this issue occur on specific document and you could not reproduce it on other Word document?

If so, I think this may be related to the setting of the document.
You could try to copy the content of the “offending document” to a new document to check this issue.

If I have any misunderstanding or you have any updates, please let me know.

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Answer 4

I'm using Microsoft Word for Mac, Version 16.45 (21011103).

It doesn't necessarily occur on other documents; indeed, it doesn't always occur even on this document!

I've just been writing: normality - ie I tap in two spaces after a full stop & no non-breaking space appears... I've then highlighted the single space between two words at the end of a line of text, hit 'Shift control' and the word drops, as expected to the next line. I've then used 'Shift option' and got the same result. Perhaps that's as it should be... Either way, having deliberately inserted that non-breaking space, I get a little symbol like a degree icon, to tell me I've done that. It baffles me, therefore, why have that symbol when I did NOT deliberately put it there.

Thanks for your interest; it's much appreciated. But I guess this is 'just one of those things' and there are more important things in life to worry about. If it wasn't for lockdown, I wouldn't be doing this inquiry work or wasting your time!

Answer 5

And what I can perhaps add is that 'the issue' arises when I copy and paste some text from an email into the same Word document. Indeed, when I do this, a non-breaking-space appears even between words, even when only a single space was entered... sometimes but not always. And I can see absolutely no logic in why it does and why it doesn't...