One space is the common writing standard and has been for many years. (I learned two spaces back in the day, too!) Some MSCs still want two, but I think using one is generally acceptable and accepted in reports, unless the MSC states in its guidelines that it requires two. I work with one that does, and I think it's because the software program "reads" one space as no space. I don't think shoppers should be marked down on spacing unless the MSC specifically says to use one or the other. That's unfair.
The editor who reviewed your reports was partly right and partly wrong on the other comment.
Always use the vocative comma. Which the editor didn't do in the first example. That comma seems to be a disappearing species, but it's required. Every time there's a direct address in a sentence, a comma (or semi-colon in some cases) is needed. E.g., "Hi; how may I help you?" or "Happy Birthday, John." Your "yes we do" should have the Y capitalized, since it was the beginning of her sentence, and a comma after "yes." You could have written "Yes, we do." Or made it into two sentences. A comma, in this case, is most commonly used. HTH!
And it's not wrong to start a sentence with "and," "but," etc. The "rule" about not starting a sentence with a conjunction is bunk. I'd avoid it in very formal writing, but it's commonly accepted and effective in marketing writing and conversational writing.
Of course, this doesn't cover the times when the shopper is right, and the editor is wrong. Which happens, too. (I just got marked down for not capitalizing "team member." Which should
not be capitalized.
I wish MSCs would give us a style guide to follow, either an in-house guide, or suggest either Chicago or AP. It would make our lives easier.
I learn something new every day, but not everyday!
I've learned to never trust spell-check or my phone's auto-fill feature.
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 10/29/2016 02:12PM by BirdyC.