![]() Greta rose early-as she did every morning-and prepared breakfast for her husband. Smith (our family dentist) at the supermarket today. Smith, our family dentist, at the supermarket today. Note that this sentence could also be written using commas: Smith-our family dentist-at the supermarket today. In this case, two em dashes are needed-but avoid using more than two em dashes per sentence, as this can result in more confusion than clarification. To Include Parenthetical InformationĮm dashes are often used to include parenthetical information within sentences, since they put more emphasis on the information in between. When to Use an Em DashĪn em dash (or em dash es) can be used in a number of situations to increase clarity or give emphasis to certain words. (Likewise, the en dash is about the length of an N).īy learning when and how to properly use the em dash, you can bring added clarity and style to your work. Longer than an en dash and three times longer than a hyphen, the em dash (-) is named for its length, as it’s roughly the width of the capital letter M. I hope I helped you learn when to use an en dash and how to type it on different keyboards.If you’re not using em dashes in your writing, you’re missing out on a very versatile punctuation that can replace commas, parentheses, or colons-not to mention they look pretty cool, too. Remember to use them for directions, ranges, scores, equal partnerships, and as a replacement for versus. Using an en dash correctly makes the connection between words clearer. Sometimes, especially online, writers will substitute a dash with two hyphens with a space on each side. Take note that this is for the typical computer keyboard.Īlternatively, you can create an en dash by holding down the control key and typing a hyphen on the numeric keypad. The shortcut looks like Alt+0151.Īn en dash is automatically rendered under Microsoft Word’s default settings by typing one or two spaced hyphens. In Windows, hold down the Alt key and type 0150 for an en dash.In Mac OS X, an en dash can be rendered very simply by holding the option key down and typing a hyphen. ![]() ![]() Typing with the En Dashĭifferent keyboards have different ways to type the en dash. It can function like commas and parentheses. Use an em dash to add information that you can remove from the sentence. You can also use it to show ranges, scores, partnerships, competition, and directions. The en dash or super hyphen is for more complex compound adjectives like Elvis Presley-style dance. Numbers like twenty-one and thirty-three also use a hyphen when spelled. The terms hyphen use are sometimes more straightforward compared to an en dash. Use a single hyphen to join words or sections of words, like self-discipline. The most obvious difference is that the en dash (–) and em dash (-) are slightly larger than the customary hyphen. Many writers are not aware of the difference between a dash vs. How Does an En Dash Differ from a Hyphen and Em Dash? I own an art deco-era couch with scalloped velvet.She enjoys decorating with elegant country-style furniture.Here are some examples of hyphenated compounds when used in sentences: Compound modifiers with an open compound, which is made of two words with a space, require this symbol. You’ll also find an en dash in compound adjectives because the hyphenation of compound adjectives offers clarity. Using an En Dash with Complex Compound Adjectives.How long is a New York–Los Angeles flight?.Use an en dash over hyphens for scores, directions, and votes. Using an En Dash with Scores and Directions.For example, the Spanish-American War (i.e., the war in Spanish America) is different from the Spanish–American War (i.e., the war between Spain and America). Note that an en dash can alter the meaning markedly. The U.S.–Australia Free Trade Agreement.The national book fair will be open from 3 PM to 9 PM.Īside from using it for two opposing items to replace versus, the en dash can also be used for equal pairing.Harry Truman was the president of America from 1945 to 1953.When the word from is present, use to instead. One of the many writing issues with en dashes is using the symbol with the word from. The symbol is essential in various fields because they are used between numbers to replace to for range of times, date, and other numbers. ![]()
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