How To Use Comma Dash

Only use commas semicolons colons or dashes if you identify a situation that requires them.

How to use comma dash. The dashes have a slightly more emphatic feel making the reader focus on this information that is set inside the special marks. Depending on the context the em dash can take the place of commas parentheses or colons in each case to slightly different effect. The em dash is perhaps the most versatile punctuation mark. Em dashes can be used in pairs to replace commas when writing a parenthetical or interruptive phrase. Parenthetical phrase with commas.

Could use commas in the 15th century when of course nobody had electricity water was often pumped by hand. Movie night is so far removed from the flow of the sentence that you wouldn t want to use commas around it. Use a dash to cut off dialogue. Movie night is more of an aside or comment than a clarification. When a thought is left unfinished however a dash should be used instead.

Use a dash to show a pause or break in meaning in the middle of a sentence. The comma before that is unnecessary. 2 the dash is used for explaining something. You could use dashes. You re more likely to miss a punctuation question by adding unnecessary punctuation than by leaving out punctuation that s needed.

My brothers richard and john are visiting hanoi. Conversely use a shorter en dash to indicate a range of numbers like 10 15. Use a longer em dash to join independent clauses with words like and but as or and for. For example i never said he began when typing a completed sentence a comma precedes the closing quotation mark and the attribution. 1 the use of comma is for depicting a brief pause when one has to provide side information about something.

Use dashes in place of a comma. Place em dashes around non essential information or a list in the middle of a sentence like you would with commas. Semicolons colons and dashes. Notwithstanding its versatility the em dash is best limited to two appearances per sentence. It doesn t seem like enough of an interruption or a dramatic statement to me to merit dashes but it s a judgment call.