How To Use Long Dashes In Writing

Long dashes in writing.

How to use long dashes in writing. To properly use a dash in an english sentence start by identifying which dash you should use. Em en and the double hyphen. Note that dashes are rather informal and should be used carefully in writing. Dashes are used to separate groups of words not to separate parts of words like a hyphen does. Use a longer em dash to join independent clauses with words like and but as or and for.

Place em dashes around non essential information or a list in the middle of a sentence like you would with commas. Both sentences should be complete and their content should be very closely related. Use an em dash to bring focus to a list. You can use a colon to connect two sentences when the second sentence summarizes sharpens or explains the first. Note that if you use colons this way too often it can break up the flow of your writing.

Dashes can also be used as parenthesis. Do not confuse a dash with a hyphen which is shorter. They are named as such because the en dash is as long as a lowercase n and an em dash is as long as an uppercase m. A long dash s primary job is to tell the reader that you ve jumped tracks onto a new though related subject just for a moment. When the list comes first it s better to use a dash to connect the list to the clause.

Dashes are used to extend a sentence to replace colons semicolons or three dots. This is a punctuation lesson on using dashes. This grammar lesson offers an explanation on the correct use of dashes and gives examples of dashes used in sentences. Use a dash to show a pause or break in meaning in the middle of a sentence. As one commentator has noted dashes in her work are either long or short.

Read also about the difference between dashes and hyphens. Dashes are often used informally instead of commas colons and brackets. Here are some examples. It s longer than a hyphen and is commonly used to indicate a range or a pause. So don t get carried away with your colons.