How To Use A Pair Of Dashes

You have to use an em dash when crediting.

How to use a pair of dashes. To create an en dash using a keyboard on a windows based system hold down the alt key and simultaneously type 0150. The information inside the dashes is off topic. Presentation to include definitions examples sentence starters and extension work. Using dashes to credit quotations you can use an em dash to credit a quote to someone. Place em dashes around non essential information or a list in the middle of a sentence like you would with commas.

How to use a pair of dashes impressively for maximum effect. Hyphens are shorter than dashes and are used to connect words. I hope this discussion and these examples show how the use of a pair of dashes can be used to effectively set off and thus bring attention to a statement made within the middle of a lengthy sentence. 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. There are three forms of dashes.

The words between a pair of dashes may or may not form a complete sentence. The shorter en dash is used to mark ranges. Because this kind of series serves as a dramatic interruption within the sentence and may even have commas you must use the dash before it and after it. Take it out and the sentence makes sense. The longer em dash is used to separate extra information or mark a break in a sentence.

Dashes are used as punctuation in sentences. To properly use a dash in an english sentence start by identifying which dash you should use. There used to be a real me but i had it surgically removed peter sellers 1925 1980 note. It s longer than a hyphen and is commonly used to indicate a range or a pause. Aug 31 2015 updated.

For your homework read pages 49 64. Make sure not to confuse dashes with shorter hyphens which are used to combine words as in well behaved or long running. 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. A hyphen should not be used in place of a dash. Dashes are used to separate groups of words not to separate parts of words like a hyphen does.