Ampersand Symbol
Rules and Examples
The
ampersand symbol ( & ) is a symbol that can be used for the
word "and."Click Here for Step-by-Step Rules, Stories and Exercises to Practice All English Tenses
The ampersand symbol should only be used in very informal writing unless it is being used in a formal company name.
On the keyboard:
On most keyboards, you can make the ampersand symbol by pressing the SHIFT key + the number 7 on the top number line.Rules for using the ampersand symbol
1. Use the ampersand symbol in sentences in place of the word "and."
The ampersand symbol should only be used in very informal writing such as a friendly letter or email, texts, tweets, memos, rough drafts, class notes and journal writing.Examples:
- Bill & I would like you to come to our house for
supper on
Sunday.
- At the zoo we saw lions, zebras, bears & monkeys.
- Combine the ingredients, then stir & pour into a
large pan.
2. The ampersand symbol is used in some formal company names and titles.
Examples:
- AT&T
- Barnes & Noble
- Procter & Gamble
- Abercrombie & Fitch
- Marley & Me (movie)
- Turner & Hootch (movie)
3. You can also use the ampersand symbol when addressing letters to a couple.
Examples:- Mr. & Mrs. Johnson
- John & Sally Smith
Origin
The symbol ( & )
In Latin, "et" stands for "and."The ampersand symbol ( & ) originally looked like a cursive "E" and "T" put together for the word "et."
The symbol was at the end of the Latin alphabet and the 27th letter of the English alphabet.
The symbol has changed over time to look more stylish.
There are many different ways to make an ampersand symbol. The symbol looks slightly different when using different fonts on the computer.
Examples from Microsoft Word:
&
(Californian FB)
&
(French
Script MT)
& (Goudy
Stout)
&
(Lucida
Handwriting)
&
(Maiandra
GD)
&
(Poor
Richard)
The word "ampersand"
The word "ampersand" comes from the phrase "and per se and".And per se and
= and
the
symbol which by itself is and.
This phrase was used in English-speaking schools
when saying the
alphabet. Students would say "per se"(meaning "by itself") before any letter of the alphabet that could stand for a word by itself. ("A" and "I" are two modern examples.)
The ampersand sign was at the end of the English and Latin alphabets.
At the end of the alphabet, students would say,
"X, Y, Z and per se
and."
When it is said quickly, it sounds like,
"X, Y, Z ampersand."
"Ampersand" was added to dictionaries in 1837.
These were the uses of the ampersand symbol. Now that you know them, it is time to practice! Read and do exercises.
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