Grammar-Quizzes › More Practices › Writing Aids › Punctuation › Dashes (em dash)
DASHES |
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A dash (em dash) is emphatic. It may be used in place of commas, a semicolon, a colon, or parentheses. Some consider its use informal. Dashes should not be overused. |
Dashes set off loosely related comments and sudden breaks in thought. Informally, they separate comments that stray from the central idea of the sentence. Formally, they separate a list of items that already includes commas. |
1. DASHES W/ ASIDE COMMENTS |
Rudy Giuliani—a passionate politician—wants you to get his point. He has a good explanation for everything—he thinks. |
2. DASHES W/ SUDDEN BREAKS OF THOUGHT OR PAUSES |
Will he—can he—persuade you? a pause The reasons—if these walls could talk—are many. an interruption |
3. DASHES W/ A SERIES WITHIN A CLAUSE |
Rudy Giuliani—attorney, businessman, politician and former NYC mayor—is on television again. Dashes work well to visually separate a phrase already containing commas from the main sentence. |
4. A DASH AFTER AN INTRODUCTORY LIST |
Food, dry clothes, water and mobile phone—everything is packed!
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5. A SUMMARIZING COMMENT |
His staff has been hired and his campaign is ready—everything is in place. emphasis: indeed!
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6. A SHORT EXPLANATION |
There was only one thing left to do—leave!
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7. LINES OF DIALOG |
—Will he run? —How could he not.
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8. ATTRIBUTION |
Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after just as well. —Mark Twain
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OTHER PUNCTUATION |
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Other forms of punctuation are more specific in use. Many consider commas to be more formal for setting off comments. |
Commas set off comments closely related to the central idea of the sentence. The comment usually modifies, qualifies, clarifies or adds details to the text before it. |
COMMAS |
Rudy Giulian, a passionate politician, wants you to get his point. He has a good explanation for everything, or so he thinks. |
ELLIPSIS |
Will he…can he… persuade you? (Ellipsis points can also serve to indicate a pause.)
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PARENTHESES & E.G. |
Rudy Giuliani wears "several hats" (e.g., attorney, businessman, politician and former NYC mayor.)
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COLON |
Food, dry clothes, water and mobile phone: everything is packed. (Use a colon.) |
SEMICOLON |
The boat is packed; everything is in place. (Using a semicolon has less impact. Note that each part is complete, can stand independently.) |
COLON |
There was only one thing left to do: leave! |
QUOTATION MARKS |
JOURNALIST: "Will he run?" (See Quotation Marks #1.) ANALYST: "How could he not."
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PARENTHESES |
"Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after just as well." (Shakespeare)
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Compare dashes, parentheses and commas Extra Comments.
When a dash is used for attribution, the quote is aligned right and the attribution is placed on a separate line. (GREGG 212)
Also see identifying (restrictive) vs. nonidentifying (nonrestrictive) clauses,That vs. Which Clause.
HYPHEN | EN DASH | EM DASH |
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A hyphen is slightly shorter than an en dash. A hyphen is a standard key on the keyboard of a computer. Unicode (U+2012) |
An en dash is half the length of an em dash. It is slightly longer than a hyphen. If you are uncertain how to insert an en dash symbol, you can use a hyphen instead. Windows (Alt 1050), Mac (Shift Option -), Unicode (U+2013) HTML (–). |
An em dash is the width of a capital M. It is twice the length of an en dash. If you are uncertain how to insert an em dash symbol, you can use two hyphens. Windows (Alt 1051), Mac (Shift Option -), Unicode (U+2014) HTML (—). |
CONNECTS WORDS | CONNECT NUMBERS IN A RANGE | SET OFF COMMENTS |
Its a three-dog night. Let's play ping-pong. www.grammar-quizzes.com |
Read pages 213–230. up to and including We are open 4–11 p.m., Monday–Friday. John Smith (1960–) an open ended date |
We won't go there again—ever. (CMOS) We won't go there again — ever. (NYTM)
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SPLIT A SYLLABLE AT END OF LINE | MINUS SIGN | SET OFF A LIST |
We are a large multi-
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$ 1,500 – 500 |
We bought fruit—mangoes, papayas, kiwi and bananas—at the market. |
kiwi is shortened from kiwi fruit (singular or plural).
Dash with spaces or no spaces? "Because columns in print are usually narrow, with few words to a line, the dash should be surrounded by spaces; they provide openings for the computer to distribute spacing evenly when justifying type." (NYTM 88)
CMOS (Chicago Manual of Syles), NYTM (New York Times Manual); see Punctuation Notes below.
Also see Hyphens and Number Modifiers.
ERROR |
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You can't stay here for the weekend-leave! Using a hyphen in place of a dash changes the meaning. |
He is known everywhere — worldwide. He is known everywhere - worldwide. |
Clean, functional, and beautiful—features in a good hotel room. |
SOLUTION |
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You can't stay here for your weekend leave! a refusal to allow a military person quarters on the weekend. You can't stay here for your weekend—leave! a request to leave |
He is known everywhere—worldwide. Not: He is known everywhere — worldwide. Don't (1) use a hyphen for a dash; (2) add a space before or after the dash. |
Clean, functional, and beautiful—all are features in a good hotel room. The clause is missing a verb. Use all, these, or they followed by a verb to complete the clause. |
TYPING DASHES |
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A hyphen is a standard key on a keyboard. Unicode (U+2012 )
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An en dash does not usually exist on a standard keyboard but can be represented with two hyphens. (A hyphen is a standard key.) Other modes of entering an en dash are: Windows (Alt 1050), Mac (Option -) Unicode is (U+2013), HTML (–) |
An em dash does not usually exist on a standard keyboard but can be represented with three hyphens. (A hyphen is a standard key.) Other modes of entering an em dash are: Windows (Alt 1051), Mac (Shift Option -) Unicode is (U+2014), HTML (—)
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A three em dash is ------ (6 hyphens) or 3 em dashes ——— (GREGG 217 d.) |
Spaces "Because columns in print are usually narrow, with few words to a line, the dash should be surrounded by spaces; they provide openings for the computer to distribute spacing evenly when justifying type." (NYTM 88) When a sentence breaks off after a dash, leave a space before the next sentence. (GREGG 207-8) We offer the fastest service in town— We are the best! We offer the fastest service in town—and the best! "Put a space on both sides of a dash in all uses except the start of a paragraph and sports agate summaries." (AP 419)
No spaces (not compatible with justified columns) The influence of three impressionists—Monet, Sisley, and Degas—is obvious in her work. (CMOS 6.82–9) "Only if —heaven forbid!—you lose your passport should you call home." (6.87) —Will he call? —Of course he will. (in lieu of quotation marks 6.88)
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USAGE NOTES |
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A hyphen links words to avoid ambiguity (e.g., a three-year-old dog). A hyphen is also used as a line break. (CMOS 6.81) See Hyphens. |
An en dash spans as with a range of pages (p. 2–7) a range of time (Monday–Friday, 2010–2016, July–August) a range of other items (Articles I–IV). (CMOS 6.83) An en dash is also used to represent a minus sign. (GREGG 459) Do not use prepositions with an en dash to express a range. He stayed from 8:00 to 9:00. But not: He stayed from 8:00–9:00. It costs between 500 and 600 dollars. But not: It costs between 500–600 dollars. |
A em dash is most often used in place of a comma: (1) setting off nonessential elements that require special emphasis; (2) setting off essential elements that already contain commas. (GREGG 201–218) A dash is also used in place of a semicolon, colon or parentheses for a stronger but less formal break. (GREGG 204-206.) Do not use other punctuation before a dash. Not: He was a good soccer player, — and a scholar. An exclamation or question mark may be used before a dash. The soccer player—do you know him?—appeared on the news. He was there — on time! But not: He was there — on time—! (CMOS 6.87) Also see AP Style Book 327; Burchfield dash 197; MLA 3.2.5; APA 4.06.; CMOS 6.87–94. |
A three em dash represents a missing word. Senator M——— was seen leaving the lady's room. (CMOS 6.90) A three em dash is used in bibliographies to represent an author's name in subsequent entries. Swift, John. As the World Turns. Pelican Publishers. 2012 ——— Stop the World. Pelican Publishers. 2012 ——— Let me off. Pelican Publishers. 2012 (CMOS 6.91) (MLA 2.7.2) |
Also see AP Style Book (327) "Punctuation: dash"; APA 4.06 "Dash", 4.13 em dash, 2.12 "Footnotes", 4.15 in headings and titles; MLA 2.7. "Multiple Works by One Author".
Style Manual Abbreviations: AP (Associated Press), APA (American Psychological Association), CMOS (Chicago Manual of Style), GREGG (Gregg Reference Manual); MLA (Modern Language Association), NYTM (New York Times Manual of Style and Usage).