Asked by: Jasmine Green

The ampersand should not be used in formal writing, except in special cases like names of certain companies, in which case it should be used if it is part of the name.

Is it unprofessional to use &?

Answer: You can use ampersands in titles, signage and website buttons where space is limited or the ampersand is part of an organisation’s branding. Use and, not ampersands in business writing, even for emails. It is more professional.

Can I use an ampersand in an essay?

More generally, we recommend only using an ampersand when you’re sure it is appropriate. And this will typically rule out the main text and titles of formal documents, such as essays or business reports.

Is it OK to use ampersand?

Although ampersands are thought of as informal, if the ampersand is officially part of a company name, it’s best to use the ampersand instead of writing out the word “and.” For example, you write “Tiffany & Co.,” “Procter & Gamble,” and “AT&T” with ampersands.

Is ampersand formal?

The ampersand should not be used in formal writing, except in special cases like names of certain companies, in which case it should be used if it is part of the name.

Is the ampersand a letter?

The ampersand is simply a ligature of the letters E and T ( et being the latin word for and). As the Romans expanded their empire across the globe, many languages just absorbed this ligature into their own alphabet.