The slash is best used in informal writing, like letters or emails.
In general, it is better to spell out or rewrite the words that use the slash.
/
The slash usually refers to the forward slash.
In general, use of the slash should be avoided in narrative writing, whether fiction or non-fiction.
The slash is often used to replace the word “per.” This should be limited to informal writing.
Examples:
- (Not) When I started teaching, I was paid $4,200/year, which worked out to $466.67/month, as I was not paid during the summer.
- (Better) When I started teaching, I was paid $4,200 per year, which worked out to $466.67 per month, as I was not paid during the summer.
- (Not) At that time, the top speed limit was 55 miles/hour.
- (Better) At that time, the top speed limit was 55 miles per hour.
- (Not) We spent less than $15/week for groceries.
- (Better) We spent less than $15 per week for groceries.
Examples:
- (Not) The applicant should include his/her work history in the resume.
- (Better) The applicant should include his or her work history in the resume.
- (Alternative) The applicant should include their work history in the resume.
- (An effort to avoid exclusive language makes the use of “their” acceptable.)
- (Not) He/she will be notified within two weeks.
- (Better) He/she will be notified within two weeks.
- (Alternative) He/she will be notified within two weeks.
- (An effort to avoid exclusive language makes the use of “their” acceptable.)
- (Not) These days you may receive your purchase receipt via paper and/or email.
- Wikipedia explains the negative ramifications of using “and/or” in legal documents.
- (Alternative) These days you may receive your purchase receipt via paper or email or both.
Sometimes semi-related roles or things are combined into one unit with a slash.
Examples:
- singer/composer
- author/poet
- living room/dining room
Some abbreviations include a slash, acceptable for informal writing, but not in narrative or formal wording.
Examples:
- w/ = with
- c/o = in care of
- A/C = air conditioning
A slash is sometimes used to indicate two conflicting or connected words or phrases. Alternatively, the sentence may be reworded to avoid its use.
Examples:
- The nature/nurture battle has been running for years.
- The battle between those who prioritize nature over nurture has been running for years.
- The Republican/Democrat split in Congress resulted in little progress during the term.
- The relationship between Republicans and Democrats in Congress resulted in little progress during the term.
- The snow/rain amount for this year was 5.1 inches, the worst drought in 20 years.
- The combination of the amounts of rain and snow for this year was 5.1 inches, the worst drought in 20 years.
- The drought/flood cycle continued over several years.
- The cycle of drought then flood continued over several years.
- The Boston/New York City train was delayed by the snowstorm.
- The train running between Boston and New York City was delayed by the snowstorm.
School year, fiscal year, and other two-year time spans are often indicated with a slash. While this is acceptable in informal writing, a hyphen should separate the years for narrative or formal writing.
Examples:
- (Not) My first teaching contract was for the 1964/1965 school year.
- (Better) My first teaching contract was for the 1964-1965 school year.
- (Not) Their taxes for the 2015/2016 fiscal year were double the previous year.
- (Better) Their taxes for the 2015-2016 fiscal year were double the previous year.
- (Not) Often a calendar will cover two years, as this 2018/2019 calendar.
- (Better) Often a calendar will cover two years, as this 2018-2019 calendar.
Informally, dates are often written numerically with slashes to separate the day, month, and year.
Informal writing:
- 12/31/15
- 7/4/1776
- 8/16/2005
Narrative or formal writing:
- December 31, 2015
- July 4, 1776
- August 16, 2005
When a poem, song, or play is written in longer lines, a slash might indicate the breaks between the lines. A space before and after improves the readability, as do the original line breaks when written as a poem, song, or lines of a play.
Examples:
- (Consumes less page) Twinkle, twinkle, little star. / How I wonder what you are. / Up above the world so high / Like a diamond in the sky. / Twinkle, twinkle little star. / How I wonder what you are.
(Easier to recognize) Twinkle, twinkle, little star. How I wonder what you are Up above the world so high Like a diamond in the sky. Twinkle, twinkle little star. How I wonder what you are.
- (Consumes less page) To sleep, perchance to dream– / ay, there’s the rub, / for in that sleep of death / what dreams may come? (William Shakespeare, Hamlet)
(Easier to recognize) To sleep, perchance to dream-- ay, there’s the rub, for in that sleep of death what dreams may come? (William Shakespeare, Hamlet)
Mathematics
Division
A slash may indicate division because the normal division symbol (÷) (a horizontal line with a dot above and below) is not available on typewriters or computers (without using a special symbol).
Examples:
- 27/3=9
- 289/17=17
- 4325/25=173
Fractions
Numerators and denominators in fractions are separated by a slash.
Examples:
- 15/19
- 9/16
- 189/289
- 4 4/5
File paths in Windows and MS-DOS use the backslash.
Because it did not exist on typewriters, it is not used in normal writing, whether fiction or non-fiction.
Windows PCs and MS-DOS use the backslashes in file paths between the different directories/folders/files.
In a Windows computer or in MS-DOS,
C:\Program Files\Documents\Writing\Blog\Slashes
will take you from the computer’s hard drive to Program Files to Documents to the Writing folder to Blog and finally to the file Slashes.
Typing “https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/URL” in the box at the top of your browser will explain URLs.
