Table of Contents
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.