How to Use Slashes
Slashes to indicate or
Use slashes instead of the word or.
- Example: If or when Chet comes home, he’s going to be grounded for life.
- Example: If/when Chet comes home, he’s going to be grounded for life.
Slashes and quoting poetry
Use slashes with a space on either side to separate quoted lines of poetry.
- Example: In Sonnet 43, Elizabeth Barrett Browning writes, “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. / I love thee with the depth and breadth and height / My soul can reach…”
Slashes and opposing pairs
Use slashes when discussing nouns that operate as opposing pairs.
- Example: In the film Blade Runner, the authentic/fake binary is explored by following the lives of androids.
When opposing pairs are used as a compound adjective, use hyphens rather than slashes.
- Example: The nature-nurture debate is an active topic in science.
