Dash usage in writing
In writing dialogue, the dash is used to show breaks in thought and shifts in tone: "How many times have I asked you not to —" Jasion suddenly stopped talking and looked out the window. "Not to do what?" Note that there is no space added on either side of an em dash. Em dashes are especially common in informal writing, such as personal emails or blogs, but it’s best to use them sparingly when you are writing formally. Back to Punctuation. You may also be interested in: Hyphen. Semicolon Dickinson went a little jiggy with it, admittedly, but in poetry and prose alike, the dash is a freewheelin’ punctuation mark. The Parenthetical Dash can stand in for a pair of commas or parentheses. The Pause Dash can take the place of a period, comma, semicolon — or nothing at all! If you are writing formal documents or writing for publication, it’s best to use dashes correctly. However… Some people prefer the way a ‘space-en-dash-space’ looks. Sometimes when you use the em-dash people say, “What is that? I don’t like that big long dash thing.” Some technical writers think the n-dash is the only one to use.
Dash 1. Use a dash to show a pause or break in meaning in the middle of a sentence: 2. Use a dash to show an afterthought: 3. Use a dash like a colon to introduce a list: 4. Use a dash to show that letters or words are missing:
Let's start with the hyphen, as this one seems simple enough. A hyphen is a dash that connects two words that are intimately related to one another. Some Use an em dash to denote an abrupt change in thought. Example: I love his writing—but what an ego! Use em dashes to emphasize a parenthetical expression A dash is a little horizontal line that floats in the middle of a line of text (not at the bottom: that’s an underscore). It’s longer than a hyphen and is commonly used to indicate a range or a pause. Dashes are used to separate groups of words, not to separate parts of words like a hyphen does. Where parentheses indicate that the reader should put less emphasis on the enclosed material, dashes indicate that the reader should pay more attention to the material between the dashes. Dashes add drama—parentheses whisper. Dashes can be used for emphasis in several ways: A single dash can emphasize material at the beginning or end of a sentence. One current definition of the word dash is "to break," which would well describe what a dash does in syntax. The Online Etymology Dictionary says the dash—a "horizontal line used as a punctuation mark"—first appeared in writing and printing in the 1550s. By the late 1800s, the dash had taken on some very specific roles.
Use hyphens in the following situations: Use in compound numbers and fractions . Examples: twenty-nine, two-thirds. Join multi-word nouns read as a
A quick guide to using colons, semicolons and dashes correctly will help you improve your grammatical precision and writing.
5 Jul 2017 A versatile piece of punctuation that can give your writing far greater variety and impact, the em dash is the next best thing that will happen to
Dashes, like commas, semicolons, colons, ellipses, and parentheses, indicate added emphasis, an interruption, or an abrupt change of thought. Experienced writers know that these marks are not interchangeable. Note how dashes subtly change the tone of the following sentences: Use an Em Dash to Mark Sharp Turns in Thought Em dashes can also signal an interruption or a sudden change in the direction a writer was heading with a particular sentence. This technique is best suited for creative or informal writing. If you use it in academic writing, you might look unsure of yourself. It’s also important that when you set off a phrase using em-dashes that you used one em-dash immediately after the noun the phrase is describing and one immediately after the phrase. Don’t replace the second em-dash (as some tend to) with a comma or semicolon. In fiction, as in other kinds of writing, you'll still want to use the em dash to indicate interruptions, performing a function related to — but subtly different from — parentheses. (The em dash is particularly useful in dialogue.) The AP, which does use em dashes, explains that these punctuation marks are used: To signal an abrupt change. To set off a series within a phrase. Before attribution to an author or composer in some formats. After datelines. To start lists.
5 Jul 2017 A versatile piece of punctuation that can give your writing far greater variety and impact, the em dash is the next best thing that will happen to
Use this guide to learn about the different types of dashes and how to use them properly in your writing. Em dashes can also signal an interruption or a sudden change in the direction a writer was heading with a particular sentence. This technique is best suited for Dashes. The first thing to know when talking about dashes is that they are almost never required by the laws of grammar and punctuation. Overusing dashes can 30 May 2019 The dash is a mark of punctuation used to set off a word or phrase after and phrases: Writers have effectively used em dashes to shoehorn a A pair of em dashes can replace a pair of parentheses. Dashes are considered less formal than parentheses; they are also more intrusive. If you want to draw A dash is a horizontal line that shows a pause or break in meaning, or that represents missing words or letters. Note that dashes are rather informal and should be
15 Feb 2015 Em dashes are used to separate phrases—as you would use commas, parentheses, semicolons, colons, ellipses—and isolate ancillary thoughts, 22 Nov 2017 In both examples, you could set the information apart with commas or parentheses; however, I chose to use em-dashes instead to emphasize the Learn how to use dashes and the differences between en dashes and em dashes. in informal writing in place of a comma, colon, semicolon, or parentheses to A quick guide to using colons, semicolons and dashes correctly will help you improve your grammatical precision and writing. Dashes can be used like commas or parentheses to set off parenthetic material, or like colons to introduce clauses, which clarify or expand on the preceding 18 Jan 2018 A clear and easy guide to the correct use of dashes, including hyphens, en- dashes and em-dashes, for fiction writers by editor Richard