How To Use Dashes Act

They tend to confuse test takers most but their usage is pretty straightforward.

How to use dashes act. Dashes can do a good many things. Single dashes function in the same way as colons. The en dash may also be used to indicate a connection between two words. After reading the handout you will be better able to decide when to use these forms of punctuation in your own writing. Let s look at some examples.

2 dashes can introduce a list or an explanation. The dash works somewhat like parentheses or commas but it is used where a stronger punctuation is needed. For example here s a sample sentence. Because we have already discussed colons our work with the single dash is going to be simple. When setting off a nonessential phrase in the middle of a sentence we must use a pair of commas or a pair of dashes.

Using the en dash to denote a connection. Includes score reports and progress tracking. The first is the single dash. These 3 punctuation marks are probably the most confusing pieces of punctuation that you will encounter on test day. Dashes are used to mark off non essential information or to loosely connect two thoughts.

When the dash is used in this way it creates a compound adjective. 1 dashes can set off a non essential clause. Use an en dash when you need to connect terms that are already hyphenated or when you are using a two word phrase as a modifier. Finally dashes can be used to create a break in a thought they force the reader to stop for a fraction of a second before continuing on to whatever idea comes next. 4 dashes can send the sentence in another direction.

Dashes on the sat and act. What this handout is about. There are two ways to use dashes in a sentence each one with a distinct purpose. 3 dashes can create a pause. Create a free account today.