The em dash and the hyphen are not the same thing at all. Generally, hyphens are used to join two words or parts of words together. Jun 02, 2009 if you go to the latest updates to the blue book of grammar and punctuation on our website hyphens, rule 6, you will find that we have included en dashes in the discussion. If youre a stickler for the rules, use an en dash in your adjective. Hyphens versus dashes whats the difference between a hyphen and dash.
The threehyphen em dash proxy was popular with various publishers because the sequence of one, two, or three hyphens could then correspond to the hyphen, en dash, and em dash, respectively. Hyphens generally, hyphens are used to join two words or parts of words together while avoiding confusion or. But, yes, according to to the chicago manual of style that khan academy uses, it would just go word, dash, word, then a space. The em dash is used to separate a thought in a sentence. If youre using msword, you can insert it by going to the insert tab on your tool bar, clicking on. Think of a colon as part of the sentence that just ambles along. In this use, em dashes are similar to commas and parentheses, but there are subtle differences. Those long straight lines draw your eye and hold your attention. Difference between dash and hyphen compare the difference. If youre seeing this message, it means were having trouble loading external resources on our website. Britishcanadian style guides seem wildly inconsistent on the issue of the em and en dash. This dash is so named because it is the width of a capital n.
Hyphens english grammar today cambridge dictionary. We call a long dash an em dash because it is the width of the letter m. A dash is a little horizontal line that floats in the middle of a line of text not at the bottom. Dashes and hyphens look really similar, but they have very different functions in writing. An em dash is a punctuation mark used to mark a pause or break. It is the longest dash, compared to a hyphen or an en dash. Only a very strict grammar pedant would pull you up for using hyphens.
A long dash is used to add a statementlike thisin the same way you would use brackets. Some say to use the en dash instead of the em dash, while others go so far as to advocate using the hyphen, advice that would lead to confusion for readers, as we have noted above. This is the dash that was used all throughout the dash section of this packet. The three hyphen em dash proxy was popular with various publishers because the sequence of one, two, or three hyphens could then correspond to the hyphen, en dash, and em dash, respectively. Since we have touched on the hyphen before, y ou can click here to read more about the use of the hyphen, and click here for a specific explanation on the role of hyphens in compound adjectives. Hyphens between words quiz 1 the blue book of grammar and. A hyphen joins two or more words together while a dash separates words into parenthetical statements. Therefore, the dash is twice as long as the hyphen. A hyphen is a standard key on the keyboard of a computer. Daily grammar lesson 421 mechanics punctuation hyphens. It can add a spiceor a dash, if you willto a sentence by adding emphasis to certain words and phrases. I am talking about the em dash, which looks like two hyphens connected into one long line. The proper use of good and well in writing is a common grammatical topic.
The two are sometimes confused because they look so similar, but their usage is different. Jun 05, 2009 dashes are used in sentences to set off parenthetical material, to prepare for a shift in tone or to provide emphasis. If you find yourself getting stumped on issues such as these issues. Dashes are used to separate groups of words, not to separate parts of words like a hyphen does. Dashes are used in sentences to set off parenthetical material, to prepare for a shift in tone or to provide emphasis. Punctuation semicolons, colons, parentheses, dash, brackets, underlining italics, and hyphens worksheet directions.
But when youre using dashes, generally, you dont put spaces in between them, in between words. Its longer than a hyphen and is commonly used to indicate a range or a pause. The house, the yard, the garagethey had remained untouched. Hyphens are often used to tell the ages of people and things. Jan 28, 2018 ah, some of my typography nut favourite punctuation marks. Punctuation semicolons, colons, parentheses, dash, brackets. The stodgy semicolon and sinuous question mark might get thrown into the mix, but rarelyif everwill somebody mention a punctuation mark that, while omnipresent, often goes unnoticed. A handy rule, whether writing about years, months, or any other period of time, is to use hyphens unless the period of time years, months, weeks, days is written in plural form. Depending on the sentence, the em dash can have a similar function to parentheses, colons, commas, and even semicolons. An em dash is longer than an en dash and three times as long as a hyphen. Daily grammar lesson 428 mechanics punctuation dashes. Its not interchangeable with other types of dashes. Most often, you will hyphenate between two or more adjectives when they come before a noun and act as a single idea. Learn the uses ofand differences betweendashes and hyphens.
Hyphens are used to connect two independent words, so they function as one unit. Hyphen in lots of scientific writingboth published and unpublishedi see authors use hyphens where they intend to use an emdash. The difference between a colon and a dash is pretty subtle. In truth, you could use a hyphen the key to the right of the 0 every time and only the strictest of grammar pedants would highlight that your hyphen ought to have been a dash. Long dashes what grammarians call em dashes are dramatic. It is the indispensable reference for writers, editors, proofreaders, indexers, copywriters, designers, and publishers, informing the editorial canon with sound, definitive advice. If youre behind a web filter, please make sure that the domains. The em dash and en dash are nothing more than creations from the minds of overcaffeinated geeks whose grasp of the english language is minimal at best. Feb, 20 typically, instead of a hyphen, what you really want is a dash. Hyphens are used in words prefixed by ex, self, or all, and some words prefixed by cross.
Mignon fogarty is the founder of quick and dirty tips and the author of seven books on language, including the new york times bestseller grammar girl s quick and dirty tips. It can replace commas, parentheses, or colons, depending on the context of the sentence. How to use long and short dashes in your writing dummies. To a casual observer, both a dash as well as a hyphen are short, horizontal lines that are used to connect words or numbers in a piece of text but to someone who is a writer the. To the delight of word nerds everywhere, grammar girl s quick and dirty tips for better writing came out yesterday. Typically, instead of a hyphen, what you really want is a dash.
This article will explain the difference between a hyphen and a dash. Type these on the computer using the dash key and you will see. To divide a word that cannot be completed before the end of a line. Em dashes set apart parenthetical phrases or clauses in a sentence. If you are uncertain how to insert an en dash symbol, you can use a hyphen instead. The most common types of dashes are the en dash and the em dash. Thousands of childrenlike the girl in this photographhave been left homeless. But it is far too strong to use words like incorrect and error for spans that are stated with hyphens.
A dash is longer than a hyphen and is commonly used to indicate a range or a pause. An equally slippery subject is whether to hyphenate well when it helps describe a noun. Hyphens are not separated by spaces, while a dash has a space on either side. Use a hyphen in compounds made up of two or more words used as an adjective adjectives modify or affect the meaning of nouns and pronouns and tell us which, whose, what kind, and how many about the nouns or pronouns they modify. When the reader is unable to distinguish between an em dash and an en dash and a hyphen, and hesitates even for a nanosecond, the degree of difficulty of reading a particular story has increased. A hyphen is a punctuation mark thats used to join words or parts of words. Difference between hyphen and dash difference between. Apr 03, 2018 the proper use of good and well in writing is a common grammatical topic. Dec 14, 2012 if the adjectives come after the noun, then they dont need a hyphen. For each of the following, choose the correct sentence. If the sentence is correct, put a c next to the number in the margin.
Sep 15, 2016 when people think of punctuation marks, it is usually the handy comma, the imperious colon, or the overly excited exclamation mark that comes to mind. In the previous sentence, the punctuation separating the word something from the list of different types of reading material was a dash. Split the word properly between syllables, using a dictionary if unsure of correct divisions. Ah, some of my typography nut favourite punctuation marks. If you go to the latest updates to the blue book of grammar and punctuation on our website hyphens, rule 6, you will find that we have included en dashes in the discussion. See details about hyphens vs dashes rules explanations. Dash and hyphen are different punctuation marks that are in the form of small straight lines, which makes it difficult to differentiate between these two different forms of punctuation marks. An em dash, or long dash, is used in pairs, to mark off information or ideas that are not essential to an understanding of the rest of the sentence.
The chicago manual of style online is the venerable, timetested guide to style, usage, and grammar in an accessible online format. It is best to limit the use of em dashes to two per sentence, to avoid confusion. Grammar girls quick and dirty tips for better writing by. When the reader is unable to distinguish between an emdash and an endash and a hyphen, and hesitates even for a nanosecond, the degree of difficulty of reading a particular story has increased. Because early comic book letterers were not aware of the typographic convention of replacing a typewritten double hyphen with an em dash, the double hyphen. Dash a dash is used to indicate a break or a pause in the sentence. Avoid overusing dashes in writing, as they make the writing seem choppy, with. Hyphens english grammar today a reference to written and spoken english grammar and usage cambridge dictionary. So, originally when i drawn it, it did look a lot closer. Do not overuse the em dash because it will make your writing look tacky. They insert information into a sentence and introduce lists.
It is useful and versatile, and too few writers make use of it. The emdash and endash are nothing more than creations from the minds of overcaffeinated geeks whose grasp of the english language is minimal at best. Hyphens grammar and punctuation the blue book of grammar. If the adjectives come after the noun, then they dont need a hyphen. It is used to emphasize a word or set of words in the sentence. Use a dash to indicate a summarizing clause a clause is a group of words having a subject and a verb. However, given that the hyphen is so easy to find on a keyboard, hyphens have become acceptable for ranges. A hyphen is used to join two words together and sepererate the syllables of a single word. A dash can replace a hyphen in a compound adjective with two equal elements. Jan 01, 2008 to the delight of word nerds everywhere, grammar girl s quick and dirty tips for better writing came out yesterday. Besides covering the many troubling grammar issues that this book is an excellent guide for all writers and students to keep for handy reference. Insert the proper punctuation marks in the following sections.
When people think of punctuation marks, it is usually the handy comma, the imperious colon, or the overly excited exclamation mark that comes to mind. Short dashes technically, en dashes arent as showy as their wider cousins, but theyre still useful. When youre reading something a book, an article, a newspaper youll probably come across hyphens and dashes. Besides the regrettable effect of proclaiming that you do not understand the difference, more importantly, this mistake often leads to ambiguity and confusion.
209 241 517 548 619 699 1279 1132 858 1443 910 743 562 800 1395 1424 845 559 498 65 1356 1189 834 1381 890 1176 560 987 550 848 558 847 239 1378 1372