How To Use Dashes When Writing

Rules for using dashes generally speaking the dash does not have a unique role.
How to use dashes when writing. A good way to remember the difference between these two dashes is to visualize the en dash as the length of the letter n and the em dash as the length of the letter m. Rather than placing parentheses around a phrase within a statement writers can opt to surround the phrase with an em dash on either end. The most common types of dashes are the en dash and the em dash. It s longer than a hyphen and is commonly used to indicate a range or a pause. Use a dash to show a pause or break in meaning in the middle of a sentence.
Use a longer em dash to join independent clauses with words like and but as or and for. Dashes are used to separate groups of words not to separate parts of words like a hyphen does. My brothers richard and john are visiting hanoi. To properly use a dash in an english sentence start by identifying which dash you should use. It is usually used as an alternative to another type of punctuation.
The great barrier reef the most extensive coral reef system on earth is estimated to be wiped out by 2050. Dashes can be used for emphasis in several ways. 1 to show ranges. Dashes add drama parentheses whisper. 3 when writing fractions in full.
The name em indicates that the dash is roughly the size of the letter m. Em en and the double hyphen. A dash may or may not have a space on either side of it. Dashes are often used informally instead of commas colons and brackets. When used to extend a sentence a dash can replace a semicolon a colon or three dots used as a pause for effect.
The information inside the dashes is off topic. The words between a pair of dashes may or may not form a complete sentence. A single dash can emphasize material at the beginning or end of a sentence. Do not confuse a dash with a hyphen which is shorter. The material inside the dashes relates to the information in the rest of the sentence but it acts as an interruption to the main point that you re making.