Avoid using the virgule - also called a slash, forward slash, diagonal or slant - to stand for omitted words or letters. Examples include per in 40,000 tons/year, to in price/earnings ratio, or in his/her and oral/written tests, versus in parent/child issues, with in table/mirror, w/o for without and c/o for in care of. The virgule may replace and in some compound terms: the Vancouver/Portland area, the May/June issue, an innovative classroom/laboratory. Using and, however, may be less ambiguous. When using the virgule, don't separate the punctuation mark from adjacent words or numbers with spaces.

The virgule may be used to separate the elements of dates and the numerator from the denominator in numbers containing fractions.