What is an M dash used for?
The em dash can function like a comma, a colon, or parenthesis. Like commas and parentheses, em dashes set off extra information, such as examples, explanatory or descriptive phrases, or supplemental facts. Like a colon, an em dash introduces a clause that explains or expands upon something that precedes it.
Can an m dash replace a comma?
Em Dash: An em dash is the width of an m. Use an em dash sparingly in formal writing. In informal writing, em dashes may replace commas, semicolons, colons, and parentheses to indicate added emphasis, an interruption, or an abrupt change of thought.
What is an en dash example?
Use an en dash when you want to: Express date and number ranges: The en dash implies that there is distance between a range of numbers or dates. For example, “plant in August–October,” or “read pages 10–25.” En dashes are also used to report scores, such as, “Our team won 3–0.”
What is an M 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.
How do you use an en dash?
An en dash should be used for clarity when one of the elements in a compound adjective is an open compound (made up of two words with a space between them) or when both elements contain hyphenated terms. In terms of clarity, this is especially helpful when one of the terms is a capitalized proper noun.
What is the em dash?
Why is it called an em dash?
The character is called an em dash because it is one em wide, a length that varies depending on the font size. 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.
How do you write an em dash in writing?
The em dash can be used in place of a colon when you want to emphasize the conclusion of your sentence. The dash is less formal than the colon. After months of deliberation, the jurors reached a unanimous verdict—guilty. The white sand, the warm water, the sparkling sun—this is what brought them to Fiji.
How do you type an en dash vs an em dash?
Make an em dash or en dash with a keyboard shortcut 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.
What is the difference between a hyphen and en dash and an em dash?
The most obvious difference is the length. Hyphens are shortest, followed by the en dash, and then the em dash. Fun fact: the en dash is the width of the letter “N”, while the em dash is the width of the letter “M”. A hyphen’s main job is to let the reader know that two or more words in a sentence are linked together.
What is the difference between an em dash and an en dash?
Both Em dash and En dash are types of dashes not to be confused by hyphen.
What is the difference between EM and en dash?
– For the hyphenation of words such as co-ordination – For a hyphenated surname such as Mary Smith-Jones – When spelling out a word in dialogue, “The word spelled out F-R-E-E.”
When to use a hyphen, an en dash or an em dash?
Hyphens are also used in all compound numbers twenty-one through ninety-nine. En dashes are used to show ranges of any kind. This could be in numbers, such as page numbers (55-102) or time (1:00-2:30), or months, such as July-October. Em dashes can be used in place of commas, colons, semi-colons, or parentheses.
How to use hyphen, en dash or em dash correctly?
– Em Dash: As already mentioned above, an em dash’s size is the width of the letter ‘M.’ – En Dash: Just like em dash, an en dash’s size is the width of the letter ‘N.’ – Hyphen: The hyphen is exactly half the size of an en dash.