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typography - When should I not use a ligature in English typesetting?


Typesetting that goes beyond the scope of basic MS Word (e.g. LaTeX, or even modern Word versions with a good OpenType font) often uses ligatures for certain glyph combinations, the most common being



  • f + f = ff

  • f + i = fi

  • f + l = fl

  • f + f + i = ffi

  • f + f + l = ffl.


I would assume, however, that there are cases in which a ligature shouldn't be used. Are there any rules or standards telling me when I should use a ligature and when I shouldn't?




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