How To Use Em Dashes

Em en and the double hyphen.

How to use em dashes. This will insert the em dash symbol into your word document. When you think of an em dash think of emphasis they often help emphasize specific information. They can be used on their own or in pairs to offset a word or phrase. For this usage make sure you use two em dashes. Em dashes in place of parentheses.

Main em dash takeaways. Use one before the parenthetical information and one after it. Although colons and commas can serve the same function em dashes create a more dramatic effect. The dash works somewhat like parentheses or commas but it is used where a stronger punctuation is needed. Em dashes are often used to set off parenthetical information.

There are three forms of dashes. Em dashes can be used to emphasize important or essential information midsentence or at the end of sentences. Rules for using the em dash 5 useful long dash rules. The above shortcuts are all valid ways you can use to type the em dash in word. Dashes are used to separate groups of words not to separate parts of words like a hyphen does.

Em dashes look like this. Em dashes so called because they are at least historically the width of the character m are used for emphasis or interruption. Use an em dash to join independent clauses. If you are on mac below is a shortcut to help you type the em dash sign in word. Type this sign on mac press and hold the command key and the hit the m key.

Although many people call the hyphen a dash dash refers to another group of horizontal lines in text. The weary traveler forgot something in the airport bathroom her plane ticket. They are also more intrusive. A pair of em dashes can replace a pair of parentheses. Dashes are considered less formal than parentheses.