P6-d: Slash

P6-dThe slash

Use the slash to separate two or three lines of poetry that have been run into your text. Add a space both before and after the slash.

In the opening lines of “Jordan,” George Herbert pokes gentle fun at popular poems of his time: “Who says that fictions only and false hair / Become a verse? Is there in truth no beauty?” (1-2).

Four or more lines of poetry should be handled as an indented quotation. (See P5-a.)

The slash may occasionally be used to separate paired terms such as pass/fail and producer/director. Do not use a space before or after the slash. Be sparing in this use of the slash. In particular, avoid the use of and/or, he/she, and his/her. Instead of using he/she and his/her to solve sexist language problems, you can usually find more graceful alternatives. (See W4-f and G3-a.)