Should there be spaces either side of the slash (/)? The short answer is ‘no’.

The slash (also known as the forward slash, stroke or oblique) means ‘or’.

When we write and/or, he/she, male/female, etc. we mean for the reader to choose either word depending on context. When we add spaces (and / or, he / she, male / female etc.) we’re treating the words individually.

There are times when it is right to add a space.

1) to show the line breaks when you’re quoting multiple lines from a poem or play,

2) in long URLs when a lack of space forces it onto a new line, creating a large, ugly gap in the text.

In straight, narrative text keep the spaces out when using the slash/forward slash/stroke/oblique.

Photo by Kyle Gregory Devaras on Unsplash