How To Use The Dashes In Writing
Some style and grammar guides even permit you to write a complete sentence within the dashes.
How to use the dashes in writing. Although many people call the hyphen a dash dash refers to another group of horizontal lines in text. It should be reserved to emphasize a limited number of important points. Two dashes can emphasize material in the middle of a sentence. Similarly limit the frequency of dash use in your writing. Em dashes are the width of you guessed it a capital m.
They can be used on their own or in pairs to offset a word or phrase. Dashes are used to separate groups of words not to separate parts of words like a hyphen does. The en dash which is the width of the letter n. Dashes are usually considered to be informal. Use a longer em dash to join independent clauses with words like and but as or and for.
Typically used for offensive words i will look the children. This works in microsoft word but not google docs. Em dashes so called because they are at least historically the width of the character m are used for emphasis or interruption. En dashes are also used to connect a prefix with an open compound. They are really f d up.
To create an em dash this way use 2014 alt x type 2014 then hit the alt key and keep it pressed down while hitting the x key then release both keys at the same time. Typically used in missing word questions in fact there are two kinds of dash. Use a dash to show that letters or words are missing. The great barrier reef the most extensive coral reef system on earth is estimated to be wiped out by 2050. Everything i saw in my new neighborhood from the graceful elm trees to the stately brick buildings reminded me of my alma mater.
The em dash is the longest of the dashes and is used to indicate a pause for added effect emphasis an added thought or a change in thought. It s longer than a hyphen and is commonly used to indicate a range or a pause. 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. The words between a pair of dashes may or may not form a complete sentence. Take it out and the sentence makes sense.