Use the knowledge you’ve learned above and try not to peek at the answers below! But here are the two basic uses of en dashes: 1. Em dashes are also sometimes used as bullet points in a vertical list in informal writing. Even for native speakers, writing in English can be a challenge. Dashes. So how do you type an en dash in Google Docs? Double Quotes), How to Use Commas (and Mistakes to Avoid). The following explanations offer the most common uses and methods for forming these dashes. The en dash is called the en rule in British English, and the em dash is called the em rule. Now that we know what an en dash is used for, let’s move on to the em dash. is an in-depth but easily digestible course. En dashes are slightly shorter than em dashes. However, I only recommend products or services that I genuinely like and trust. Consistency is key when deciding which style you’re going to follow! Hyphen, en dash, em dash, short dash, long dash, thick dash – figuring out what to call that minus-like punctuation mark, which seems to vary in length depending on the circumstances, can be difficult. Read chapters 5–13 of The Chicago Manual of Style if you want to become a grammar guru. Dashes, on the other hand, em­pha­size what’s in­side them; com­pare the fol­low­ing sen­tences: 1. Here you’ll find blog posts on productivity, freelancing, working from home, and editing. The most common uses of em dashes are for Of the three similar types of punctuation—hyphens, en dashes, and em dashes—the en dash is generally the least common, and the most confusing. En and Em Dashes and Hyphens One thing editors do is to fuss with punctuation, especially dashes. The em dash (about as wide as an uppercase M), is a relatively artistic punctuation mark, compared to the more technical hyphen and en dash. How to Use Quotation Marks (and the Difference between Single vs. As long as I have three things in my pantry—bread, chocolate, and ice cream—all is right in the world. In spring 2017, her creative nonfiction piece "Anticipation" was published in Angles literary magazine. However, you can add a shortcut to your preferences. Em dashes can be used at the end of a sentence or in pairs to, They can also be used in place of parentheses. A common mistake writers make is using a hyphen If you purchase through these links I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Instead, they use only the em dash (see below for more on THAT variation). Type en or em into the search bar, depending on which one you want to use. Specialized uses of the en dash. How cool is that!). Let’s make that more clear. They look very similar and are sometimes used for the same purpose (depending on what style guide you use). It can be thought of as replacing the word “to” or “through.” For instance, you could write: “The homework is to read pages 50–82.” or “The 1998–1999 season of Friends was my favorite.” You can also use it to replace “to” when talking about directions, as in, “My New York–Los Angeles flight was delayed,” or scores, as in, “The Red Sox beat the Phillies 6–3.” Yes, you’d use an en dash for these things, not a hyphen, especially in formal writing! According to CMOS, “in British usage, an en dash (with space before and after) is usually preferred to the em dash as punctuation in running text.” A writer's use of dashes (hyphens, em dashes, and en dashes) is one of the typographical elements that "jump out" at editors. The em dash has several uses. How to Enter Hyphens, En Dashes and Em Dashes in HTML and Word. ), The main purpose of an en dash (–) is to connect, . They also have a different function. Learn more about the difference between em dashes and en dashes here. Originally published at - https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/everyday-grammar-em-dash-en-dash/4258141.html But there are differences. A hyphen’s main job is to let the reader know that … 1) In some styles, an en dash may be used where an em dash would normally go. Think about it—when do you use a hyphen vs. a dash? The html codes for the en dash are – or – To type an en dash in Microsoft Word, press the Ctrl and minus sign keys on the numeric keypad (on a standard keyboard). The en dash (–) is a bit wider than the hyphen (-) and narrower than the em dash (—). Dashes are used to separate two words into statements.It should be noted that dashes are Now check your email to confirm your subscription to my email newsletter and download the Business Goal Setting Workbook. Dashes. An em dash, or long dash, is used:. (, was an American socialite and philanthropist. In appearance, an en dash is slightly longer than a hyphen (-), approximately the width of a capital N, while an em dash is slightly longer than an en dash, approximately the width of a capital M (hence their names). They can also be used in place of parentheses. An en dash or en rule (–) is wider than a hyphen (-) and narrower than an em dash (–). From the main menu, click on Insert → Special characters. Dashes, on the other hand, em­pha­size what’s in­side them; com­pare the fol­low­ing sen­tences: 1. Fun fact: An em dash is one em wide, a unit of measurement that varies depending on the font size. En dash. Success! In appearance, an en dash is slightly longer than a hyphen ( - ), approximately the width of a capital N, while an em dash is slightly longer than an en dash, approximately the width of a capital M (hence their names). She graduated from Marist College with a Bachelor of Arts in English and has been writing for Reader's Digest since 2017. A Nobel Prize–winning author is going to be at the party, and I want to meet her! The en dash is neglected by many writers except as a substitute for an em dash, and even then it is increasingly replaced with a hyphen to mark a pause or parenthesis, especially online and, less commonly, in print journalism. Don’t replace the second em-dash (as some tend to) with a comma or semicolon. When we refer to dashes, we are usually referring to em dashes, as they are the more common punctuation mark of the two. It comes most com­monly in pairs and has a func­tion sim­i­lar to paren­the­ses (i.e. An em dash is most often used But just like hyphens, en dashes and em dashes make reading easier—if you use them properly, that is. Span or range of numbers The em dash is the length of a lower case letter “m” and the en dash is the length of the letter “n.” When using the em dash and the en dash you should not leave any spaces between the punctuation and the next word. This can happen when one of the things is a name, as in, “a Paul McCartney–style guitarist.” But any two words that are being linked with another need an en dash, not a hyphen: “Despite being in the second grade, your child exhibits fifth grade–level reading comprehension.”. Usage. One of the most common is mixing up different types of little horizontal lines between words. (Note: If you use the word “from” to introduce these ranges, you need to use the word “to,” not an en dash. The typical computer keyboard lacks a dedicated key for the en dash, though most word processors provide a means for its insertion. a parenthetical; an ersatz-ellipsis). Another way to insert the dashes is to use the minus key on the numeric keypad. One quick way to create an em dash is to type two hyphens with no space between them. The en dash is about as wide as an uppercase N; the em dash is as wide as an M. 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