Is an em dash grammatically correct?
The em dash is sometimes considered a less formal equivalent of the colon and parenthesis, but in truth it's used in all kinds of writing, including the most formal—the choice of which mark to use is really a matter of personal preference.
Is it grammatically correct to use a dash?
Quick Use: Use a dash to connect independent clauses or to interrupt a main clause in a way that creates dramatic effect. Dashes function in two ways: to signal interruptions in a sentence (basically like parentheses), and to connect independent clauses.
How do you write an em dash in a sentence?
Use one before the parenthetical information and one after it. Putting spaces before and after an em dash is a matter of preference; just be consistent. Consider the examples below for reference: While I was shopping—wandering aimlessly up and down the aisles, actually—I ran into our old neighbor.
How do you use dashes in grammar rules?
Use dashes to mark the beginning and end of a series, which might otherwise get confused, with the rest of the sentence: Example: The three female characters—the wife, the nun, and the jockey—are the incarnation of excellence. Dashes are also used to mark the interruption of a sentence in dialogue: Example: “Help!
Can I use em dashes in formal writing?
It is often used in place of colons or semicolons. It is also common to use a pair of em dashes to replace parentheses or a pair of commas. Using the em dash (or a pair of em dashes) to replace other marks is not always appropriate. In formal writing, avoid using dashes unless they are really necessary.
Why use an em dash instead of a comma?
Use a dash instead of a comma if you want to set off a nonessential element that needs special emphasis—but use it sparingly and for deliberate effect. If a nonessential element contains an internal comma—again, a comma within the element itself—use dashes instead of commas to set the element off.
What is an example of a dash in English grammar?
Examples of Sentences Using Dashes
Here are some sentence examples to show you how a dash can be used in a sentence. My work timings are from 8–5. The trek will be organised from May 12–15. We know one thing for sure — something unexpected is coming our way.
What is the em dash in writing?
An em dash is a punctuation mark that can be used to replace commas, parentheses, colons, and semicolons. In general, the em dash is seen as being more interruptive or striking than other punctuation, so it is often used stylistically to draw a reader's attention to a particular bit of information.
What is the difference between dash and em dash?
Em dashes are longer (—), so they are used between phrases or clauses (groups of words). Hyphens are shorter (-), so they are only used between prefixes and words to make compound words such as self- esteem.
What are the 3 em dashes?
Em-dashes are not generally used in formal documents. The en-dash is used between dates and times, and the 3-em dash is used to signal omitted information in certain (often legal) situations. The en-dash can be created by pushing down the ALT key and typing 0150, while the 3-em dash is created by typing six hyphens.
Is an em dash informal?
The em dash is an informal, flashy kind of punctuation. It is often used for dramatic emphasis. One em dash by itself can indicate a sudden break in grammar or thought. e.g. I just saw him—I swear!
Why is it called an em dash?
En and em dashes aren't called that because they're as wide as a lowercase “n” and a lowercase “m.” They're called that because those are the specific typography jargon words that refer to the height of a physical piece of type (the “em,” also called the “mutton” to reduce confusion) and half that height (the “en,” ...
How to do dashes?
Use your keyboard's em dash shortcut
On Windows, it's... less simple: you need to use an alt code to get an em dash. If you have a numeric keyboard, hold down the Alt key and type 0151 for an em dash or 0150 for an en dash.
Are em dashes used in British English?
In the UK, we tend to have ditched the em dash unless it's for punctuating speech. Instead, we use the en dash with a space either side.
Why do authors use em dashes?
An em dash to replace parenthesis ( )
Giving additional information or parenthetical information, which could vary from being a few words to complete sentences. Em dashes can do the same job as parenthesis, but not as subtly as they tend to leave an impact and add a casual flair to the writing.
Can you use an em dash in a quote?
Em dashes (not to be confused with hyphens or ellipses) are used to indicate that a speaker has been interrupted mid-sentence by another character. The em dash should be placed directly after the final word the speaker gets out before being interrupted (with no extra space) and inside the closing quotation mark.
Do you always use two em dashes?
There is no rule against it; however, much like superfluous conjunctions or commas, too many em dashes will confuse the reader. Two em dashes are most often used for parenthetically setting off a phrase which usually is appositional or explanatory. One is used to set off a phrase, generally for emphasis.
What is dash in grammar SAT?
Dashes on the SAT
Dashes aren't very common on the SAT, but they do come up. They can be used to mark off a non-essential clause or phrase (like a comma) or introduce a list or explanation (like a colon). If dashes are used with non-essential clauses or phrases, you can't mix them with commas.
How is the word dash used in a sentence?
Examples of dash in a Sentence
Verb I'm sorry, but I must dash. I'm late. She dashed down the hallway to the bathroom. People were dashing inside to get out of the rain.
What is an example of an em dash in dialogue?
Use em dashes outside the quotation marks to set off a bit of action without a speech verb. For example: "Look over there"—she pointed to the corner—"by the bookshelves."
Can em dash be used alone?
An em-dash can be used alone, as in this example from the online The Punctuation Guide: After months of deliberation, the jurors reached a unanimous verdict—guilty. The em-dash emphasizes the conclusion of the sentence, but with less formality than a colon.
How many dashes is an em dash?
There are three kinds of dashes: the em dash, the en dash, and the double hyphen. The most common types of dashes are the en dash (–) and the em dash (—). A good way to remember the difference between these two dashes is to visualize the en dash as the width of the letter N and the em dash as the width of the letter M.
How many hyphens is an em dash?
If you're writing text in a program or on a website where the em dash character is completely unavailable, use two hyphens together (–) to signify an em dash.
Can you use 3 em dashes in a sentence?
Use em dashes (rather than commas or parentheses) when the words within the interpolation are significant and are not to be missed. Don't use more than two em dashes in a single sentence.
How wide is the em dash?
One em is the same length as the font's height (which is typically measured in points). So in 9-point type, an em dash is nine points wide, while in 24-point type the em dash is 24 points wide. By comparison, the en dash, with its 1 en width, is in most fonts either a half-em wide or the width of an upper-case "N".
What is the longest dash symbol?
Length: The em dash is the longest among the three punctuation marks. Usage: The em dash has a versatile usage. It can be used to indicate interruptions in a sentence, emphasize elements, set off appositives, replace colons or semicolons, or create a break in the flow of a sentence.
Are dashes formal or informal?
Dashes are only used in informal writing; in academic and business writing, use parentheses, commas, or colons instead. Do not put a space before or after a dash.
What does the 2 em dash mean?
The 2-em dash—two consecutive em dashes—indicates missing or disguised letters or words. It is sometimes called the omission dash or the double em dash.
What are the 4 uses of dashes?
Dash is Python framework for building web applications. It built on top of Flask, Plotly. js, React and React Js. It enables you to build dashboards using pure Python. Dash is open source, and its apps run on the web browser.
What is dash Python?
Where English prose often uses an em dash when one would expect a comma (see CMS 6.85), German prefers an en dash.
Do Germans use em dashes?
Les tirets (em dashes) are quite common in French, more so than in English, and are used for a variety of purposes, including: 1. To separate items in a list, similar to how we use bullet points in English.
Does French use em dashes?
Basics of Dashes
For both en dashes and em dashes, do not put any spaces before or after the dashes.
Does an em dash need spaces?
The em dash is sometimes considered a less formal equivalent of the colon and parenthesis, but in truth it's used in all kinds of writing, including the most formal—the choice of which mark to use is really a matter of personal preference.
Do people still use em dash?
Because em dashes are used for insertion of information in a non-linear way, that is, out of order, there is probably a better, more linear way to express it. If you must insert information out of order, use parentheses. In general, I don't recommend using em dashes in academic writing, particularly in APA style.
Should you use an em dash in academic writing?
The dash marks some kind of pause -- in reading aloud, one might accord it the duration of a comma, unless it is a long em-dash requiring a lengthier break. Dashes can mark the caesura of the poetic line.
What are em dashes used for in poetry?
Em dashes can be used in pairs to mark off additional information that is not essential to understand the sentence. Here they function similarly to parentheses or a pair of commas. An em dash is usually written without spaces on either side, although some style guides do recommend using spaces.
When can I use an em dash?
Depending on the context, the em dash can take the place of commas, parentheses, or colons—in each case to slightly different effect. Notwithstanding its versatility, the em dash is best limited to two appearances per sentence. Otherwise, confusion rather than clarity is likely to result.
Can you use too many em dashes?
The difference between an em-dash and a semicolon is the length and purpose of the pause it creates. An em-dash isolates the idea that follows; a semicolon combines two ideas into one. The best way to determine if you can use an em-dash or a semicolon is to try them out in your sentence, then read it aloud.
What is the difference between em dash and semicolon?
Em dashes are used a lot in fiction, magazines and other informal types of writing to create an abrupt shift in the narrative or the writer's train of thought. This makes them a fun technique for pupils to use in creative writing, especially if they're writing from a character's point of view.
Is a dash a language technique?
A dash is a punctuation mark that is used to separate one part of the sentence from another to indicate a break or an abrupt change in the thought flow.
Why is dash used in English?
A dash can't be used to end a sentence without some addition wording or information following it. The dash is used to separate, not end.
Does a dash end a sentence?
The dash (—), also called the em dash, is the long horizontal bar, much longer than a hyphen. Few keyboards have a dash, but a word processor can usually produce one in one way or another.
How does a dash look like?
Em-dashes are not generally used in formal documents. The en-dash is used between dates and times, and the 3-em dash is used to signal omitted information in certain (often legal) situations. The en-dash can be created by pushing down the ALT key and typing 0150, while the 3-em dash is created by typing six hyphens.
What are the 3 em dashes?
A dash is expressed as an "em dash" ( — ) in printing, is expressed in plain text as two hyphens ( -- ) and is used in place of a comma, colon or semicolon for greater emphasis. It denotes a major break or pause and should not be overused.
What is em dash English technique?
In the UK, we tend to have ditched the em dash unless it's for punctuating speech. Instead, we use the en dash with a space either side.
Do the British use em dashes?
cause I didn't want them to close before I had my last latte of the day. The em dash is used in US English, with no spaces either side, in the same way an en dash is employed in UK English.
Does British English use em dash?
The em dash is an informal, flashy kind of punctuation. It is often used for dramatic emphasis. One em dash by itself can indicate a sudden break in grammar or thought. e.g. I just saw him—I swear!
Is an em dash informal?
Quick Usage Guideline
Em dashes are longer (—), so they are used between phrases or clauses (groups of words). Hyphens are shorter (-), so they are only used between prefixes and words to make compound words such as self- esteem. Of these three marks of punctuation, the en dash is used the least frequently.