Move forward symbol12/5/2023 ![]() Informally, forward slashes are commonly used to write dates with the slashes separating the month, day, and then the year (or day, month, and then year in British English).Ī forward slash is used as a substitute for the word per when stating measurements: He mixed 3 cups of sugar w/ 1 gallon of water.Informally, a forward slash is sometimes used in certain abbreviations. The survey showed that four-fifths of the country supported the new law.A writer may instead write out the fraction rather than use numerals, as in: It is important to remember that you don’t have to write fractions this way. The survey showed that ⅘ of the country supported the new law.In writing, the forward slash is commonly used when transcribing fractions. Each person is free to live his/her own life.That dormitory is reserved for seniors/graduate students/staff.If/when I have kids, I’ll buy a big house.Here are some more examples of a forward slash used this way: All three situations are presented as possible and acceptable alternatives to one another. This sentence means three things: someone can pay with cash, someone can pay with compliments, or someone can pay with both cash and compliments. As payment, we accept cash and/or heartfelt compliments.A sentence that uses a forward slash in this way can be read to mean that any or all of the stated words could apply.įor example, look at the following sentence: AlternativesĪ forward dash can be used to state alternatives. Sometimes, a writer may use an em dash in place of a forward slash in this instance. I don’t know what to think about the Star Wars/Star Trek feud.Currently, I work out of my apartment/home office/makeshift art studio.Those two had a love/hate relationship.We can use a forward slash to indicate that two (or more) things have a close relationship or are in opposition to each other. Grammar is cool, / and forward slashes are, too! If we wanted to quote this poem in a work that uses prose and not verse, we could write it like this: The slash represents what would normally be a line break if the text was formatted using verse rather than prose.įor example, let’s say a poem is originally formatted like this: Lines of poetryĪ commonly accepted use of the forward slash, even in formal writing, is to indicate line separations in poetry. Let’s look at some examples of when we would want to use a forward slash. The “meaning” of the forward slash largely depends on how it is used in a sentence. This issue was part of the larger nature/nurture debate.We only had ⅔ of the amount of concrete that we needed.The store accepts cash and/or credit cards.I wrote a haiku: The winter snow falls / everything becomes like ice / all hope is now gone.The following sentences demonstrate some of the different uses of the forward slash: The forward slash can be used in several different ways. ✏️ Examples of a forward slash in a sentence ![]() So when people say slash they probably mean the forward slash. To distinguish the old slash ( /) from the newer technical backslash ( \), the term forward slash entered English in the 1980s as a retronym, much in the same way that snail mail became a term for what was once just called mail. Interestingly enough, backslashes are newer than forward slashes, due to technology. It resembles a slanted line tilted toward the right ( /) and can be confused with the backslash, a symbol that resembles a line tilted toward the left ( \).īackslashes point in the opposite direction of forward slashes and are primarily used in programming languages. The forward slash can do all of this and more as long as you know the best ways to use this particular punctuation mark.Ī forward slash, often just called a slash, is a punctuation mark with several different uses in writing. ![]() ![]() You can even use one to say which side you support in the fiercely contested “toilet paper over/under the holder” debate. You can use one to describe where you were when the new millennium started on. You can use one to say that you are a master of grammar and/or spelling. The forward slash is a versatile punctuation mark that can be used in a variety of places.
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