It’s known for being a one-job punctuation mark because it simply communicates questions. These two types of dashes serve different purposes: The EN dash, the shorter of the two dashes, is used to mark ranges. It could be written with a semicolon, a colon, or a period (or a. The punctuation mark should not be confused with dashes (–, —), which are. This suggests that a question mark is "stronger" than a period and is the mark that is retained. 8. It’s not interchangeable with other types of dashes. If a comma is a quarter note rest, then an em dash is a half-note rest. [4] 3. g. The em-dash would indicate something like raising the eyebrows right at the end, or tilting the head down and looking up from under the. Comma. em-dash — Long hyphen (—) named em-dash because the dash historically is the length of a lowercase m. On cell phones running Android’s Gboard or iOS operating systems, press and hold the hyphen on the onscreen keyboard. The em dash is even longer and is used in place of a comma, parenthesis, or colon for emphasis. How to Create Em Dashes and En Dashes: Em dash (—) Ctrl+Alt+minus (far. To turn smart punctuation off, all you have to do is go to Settings > General > Keyboard, and then turn off the "Smart Punctuation" toggle. HTML Escape Characters. It can also be used to indicate each person’s speech in a dialogue. Other times, the comma separates grammatical components of the sentence. Discussion in 'Word Mechanics' started by Bone2pick, Dec 12, 2022. There are two types of dash. So:Figure 1. 87): English learners commonly make the mistake of using em dashes incorrectly. On a PC, the em-dash is made by holding down the ALT key and typing 0151 on the number pad. Em dashes also substitute for something missing. (stenoscript) The dash may be written low, along the baseline, or high, at x-height, as convenient for whichever letters it links to. The Oxford Manual of Style once stated, “If you take hyphens seriously, you will surely go mad. An em dash (—), the longest “dash,” is used as a substitute for a comma, colon, semi-colon, or parentheses and emphasizes information. Perhaps a door was closed on the speaker’s face, cutting off her sentence. Go to the system preferences and choose "Language & Text". (An em dash, or long dash, is used: in pairs, to mark off information or ideas that are not essential to an. How to create en dashes and em dashes. QUESTION MARK U+003F: Po, other Common @ COMMERCIAL AT U+0040: Po, other Common REVERSE SOLIDUS U+005C: Po,. And be careful to not mix different punctuation marks. If the interruption occurs at the. It's difficult for me to judge the tone of the sentence examples you used, so I can't give a specific suggestion. Hold down. Em dashes are the longest of the common dashes (I won’t be covering 2-em and 3-em dashes in this article) and are so named because they are the width of the letter “m. Uses of the Question Mark; Quiz: Uses of the Question Mark; Problems with Question Marks; Quiz: Problems with Question Marks; Uses of the Exclamation Mark; Quiz: Uses of the Exclamation Mark; Problems with Exclamation Marks; Quiz: Problems with Exclamation Marks; What Are Commas, Semicolons, and Colons; Uses of the Comma; Quiz: Uses of. “Yes, you did!”. In 3, the dash is used in place of a comma, since the change in tone is occuring at the same time as the dialog is being spoken, or near enough that it's the same action. Intuition is important to survival: studies show that instinct can beat analytical thinking in a crisis. A colon is quieter; a dash is more emphatic and dramatic. If you use it in academic writing, you might look unsure of yourself. If your keyboard can't produce a dash, you will have to resort to a hyphen as a stand-in. You can use a semi-colon to separate list items when an "item" is a list in itself. The patient reported taking 15 (?) milligrams of alprazolam. Two hyphens typed together form a dash: (--). Translation. Consider the difference between the sentence above and the one. It can separate independent clauses. 4. Pre-electric typewriters normally had only the hyphen-width dash to apply to situations calling for em dashes, so the usual method in U. 1. Household appliances such as refrigerators and microwaves are. The en dash will appear in the text field where your cursor is. Below is a list of punctuation marks written in English; translate each term into French. Guion y raya (Hyphen and Em-dash) 9. The raya (em-dash) usually indicates separation; for example, it signals interventions of. April 5–June 4. To create an em-dash on a Windows computer, hold down the [Alt] key and type 0151 on the numeric keypad. APPLICATION. Smart punctuation is an iOS feature that automatically. &bull First item in the list. In informal writing, feet and inches are sometimes expressed as, for example, 5′ 10″ (read: five feet and ten inches). Dashes are generally more abrupt and can signify a rapid change of topic. “What space?”. Thanks very much for your reply, Jennifer. The question mark can be used to indicate editorial uncertainty, either in parentheses or in brackets. Enclose the first part of the dialogue in quotation marks but omit the comma. Chicago 6. An em dash (—) is a punctuation mark. ”. And be careful to not mix different punctuation marks. It is longer than a hyphen (-) or an en dash (–). A dash is a little horizontal line that floats in the middle of a line of text (not at the bottom; that’s an underscore). Overuse of any tool will make your writing inelegant, but using the proper tool at the right time will help you generate pages that are well crafted and precisely assembled. Em dashes for interruptions: Use em dashes when you are interrupting the main idea of a sentence. There are many uses for elipses and dashes. The em dash is a versatile punctuation mark that can be used in both formal and informal writing. To create the em dash on a Macintosh-based system, hold down the Shift and Option keys and press. Example: apple orchard–scented candle. In something called an appositive—a phrase that provides more information—you can use an em dash instead. (Learn more about the difference between a. Em dash character is not a part of ASCII character set. The Spanish names for the hyphen, en-dash and em-dash are guión, semiraya o raya menor, and raya, respectively. The em dash should be used sparingly in your writing. Upon firing the company’s non-salaried employees—and. Em Dashes. Em dashes can be used in the following ways: 1. Insert em Dash. Notwithstanding its versatility, the em dash is best limited to two appearances per sentence. For further reasons, why you should use T1 encoding, have a look at this question: Why should I use usepackage[T1]{fontenc}? You should use a. When a quotation is presented as a single sentence made up of material from two or more original sentences, ellipses should be used for all omitted segments. You can use it at the end of a broken-off phrase, or if a. The em dash helps separate the parts of a sentence. He worked in his office-cum-dining room. Examples: 2009–2019. A dash is a punctuation mark that resembles a hyphen, but longer. Parentheses diminish the importance of a phrase, while dashes enhance it. For example, “the years 2020–2022” or “the hours 9:00 a. the first word after a colon, em dash, or end punctuation in a heading. 2. Household appliances such as refrigerators and microwaves are. Check out all the nuances of this tricky punctuation mark. Another way to create them is to press and hold Alt and type 0151 on a Windows device or select Option, Shift, and the hyphen key ( ‐) on a Mac. Most of the time, adverbs will end in the letters -ly but there are some exceptions to this rule such as the words “very” and “never”. , the India–Pakistan issue) To extend sentences just like colons, semicolons, and three dots (e. When the dash is used, the change in the thought or sentence structure should be evident and distinct. That may occasionally appear in old writing, where em dashes after commas and semicolons are more common. Most authorities, including The Chicago. An em dash is preferred to divide elements within a sentence and pack a punch. I wasn’t exaggerating when I said the em-dash was versatile—it can even take the place of the semicolon. The en dash is shorter than an em dash but longer than a hyphen. But the most important use of dashes in dialogue is to show one speaker interrupting another. Semicolons separate two independent clauses. The change in the second description of the clock's sounds emphasizes Isaac's unease. (Check out more punctuation. Minus Sign: −. Signo de exclamación (Exclamation Point) 8. It probably wouldn’t get away with trying to impersonate a question mark or an exclamation point, but it can stand in for. Intuition is important to survival: studies show that instinct can beat analytical thinking in a crisis. [Emphasis mine. The em dash can be used in place of commas, colons, semicolons, and parentheses to increase sentence variety and readability. , accordingly, consequently, for example, nevertheless, so, thus). A hyphen (-) is shorter still. Other Types of Dash. Actual output : 1993 1995 Expected output : 1993 – 1995 I have done the UTF-8 encoding in Java but still getting the same output in the excel. Example: She gave him her answer—No! Exclamation Mark (!) An exclamation mark is used to show emphasis. Example em dashes:Fun fact: The en dash is called the en rule in British English, and the em dash is called the em rule. Hold down the Alt key, press 0 1 5 0 on the numeric pad, and then release the Alt key. This appears when you move the pointer over the corrected hyphen. I have the same issue in my asp. An em dash is often used to indicate a break in thought in a sentence. Em Dash: —. The em dash suggests an instantaneous jump from one part to the other, as if the two parts are both happening at the same time. In Word, you’ll hold down Shift+ Option+minus rather than the Ctrl+Alt+minus mentioned above. Have you a reason why you think curved brackets should be abandoned in favour of dashes in this particular example? The linked article doesn't contrast differences in availability or effect between the punctuation variants available. This eliminates option B. parentheses. Fig. Select the Replace, Replace All, or Find Next button (see figure 6). g. This is also true for the dot part of the question mark, and exclamation mark. APPLICATION. Treat etc. And Words into Type, third edition (1974), without referring explicitly to dashes, also agrees: Direct questions. When a pair of em dashes sets off material ending with an exclamation point or a question mark, the mark is placed inside the dashes. There should be no space between the en dash and the adjacent material. They also establish a relationship between words and ideas. And like a colon, it can introduce a word or a clause that describes or expands upon what precedes it. It is the doppelgänger of the. 48 The En Dash, Numerals. But if you use them, you’ll find they can show up near a lot of punctuation marks besides dashes. . Here’s how to master the em-dash, exclamation point and question mark. In addition, write the punctuation mark next to your translation. 857k 235 1581 1959. The en dash (–) is one-half the width of an em. - The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation Em Dash: What Is an Em Dash? The em dash in American English is a punctuation mark that helps to convey emphasis,. [Emphasis mine. 89: "In modern usage, a question mark or an exclamation point—but never a comma, a colon, or a semicolon—may. When a pair of em dashes sets off material ending with an exclamation point or a question mark, the mark is placed inside the dashes. I went out with a guy based on his use of dashes once. The exclamation point and question mark denote strong emotion or a question, respectively. Comments. 👉 Em dash Mac: hold down the option + shift + the hyphen keys and viola! 👉 Em dash Word: tap the minus sign twice and continue writing. 2] In braille, a dash is represented by dots 6, 36 (,-). It is used to indicate a range of values, such as numbers, dates, and times. Note, however, that if the quoted material itself ends with a question mark or exclamation point, the. ) You can achieve that. In formal writing, the em dash is often used to indicate a break or interruption in a sentence. Hyphens and dashes. In traditional Japanese, questions were simply punctuated with a full stop rather than a question mark. When Your Punctuation Says It All (!) 364. Em dashes. The conventions for dialogue allow a narrator to “interrupt” the speakers at any time and for any reason. Dashes are used in the following five ways: To show in ranges for numbers or dates (e. Like parentheses, the em dash can set off nonessential elements; but it does the parentheses one better—it can also set off essential elements. Type a word. But it is necessary first to make the difference between a hyphen, and an em dash vs en dash. This little symbol is beloved. An alternative way of displaying speech is via the em dash. It’s longer than a hyphen and is commonly used to indicate a range or a pause. But OP is asking about "correct use of the em dash," not whether he should use it. See wikipedia. If your style guide calls for spaces around a dash, you use a different character altogether, the "en-dash. The em dash, or long dash, is the only punctuation mark on a keyboard that. Comillas españolas (Angle Quotes) and Comillas inglesas (Quotation Marks) Where to Practice Using Spanish Punctuation; Find and Correct the Mistakes in the Following. 2. College communications rarely require the formal four-point ellipsis. apostrophe. 8. Do not combine the dash with any mark of punctuation other than quotation marks, the question mark, the exclamation mark and occasionally the period. The word-processing program may form this automatically when two hyphens are typed together. And an example:There are 14 punctuation marks that are used in the English language. An em dash indicates that the dialogue stops abruptly and you would place the em dash inside the closing quotation marks. nouns followed by numerals or letters. This means we only use one em dash instead of two when the interruption comes at. , page 387–459); while the hyphen is used to connect words that function together (e. For degrees, use a space between the en dash and the degree and the emphasis. One other exception is dialogue, where authors will. There is a space before the first period and after the last period. Use of it is more common in formal academic writing that must cite sources. En Dash vs. Hyphen. At the risk of being pedantic, an ellipsis is a single symbol, not three dots. )The dash (—) is a mark of punctuation used to set off a word or phrase after an independent clause or a parenthetical remark (words, phrases, or clauses that interrupt a sentence). For your example: “Well, I thought you—” He stopped himself. 'Break/Fold Mark'. Comments. | Grammar The em dash performs a versatile function to help separate certain words from the rest of a sentence. 3. JAWS is the most likely of the screen readers to read these kinds of punctuation marks. Quotation from wiki ( Em dash) When an actual em dash is unavailable—as in the ASCII character set—a double ("--") or triple hyphen-minus ("---") is used. In English, there is no space between the word preceding the punctuation mark and the punctuation mark itself. For example: It depends on trust — it always has. The commands extendash and extemdash are also used to produce en-dash (–), and em-dash (—), respectively. Windows. “I didn’t expect to — “An em dash or a pair of em dashes may indicate a sudden break in thought or sentence structure or an interruption in dialogue. At a fundamental level, an Em dash is used to create a strong break in the structure of a sentence. What you read in the Diccionario panhispánico de dudas is correct: only parenthetical remarks and dialogues are correct uses of the em-dash in Spanish. I agree that it should try to match the size of the missing word. The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines a dash as “the mark (—) used to separate parts of a sentence. In particular, do not use the colon-dash (:—) to introduce a quotation or a list. ) When it’s in the middle of the sentence, it doesn’t need to be followed by a comma. Dashes and hyphens aren’t the same thing. To type the — using the keyboard you can the Alt code from the shortcode section. It then gives two examples, the second of them demonstrating that "the period . Use a dash instead of a comma when you want to strongly set off an idea. g. , 1 May–13 June) To divide a compound adjective with two equal parts (e. However, since interjections are not “proper” sentences, some writers prefer to attach them to a complete sentence using a comma or, if more emphasis is desired, an em dash. Use an em dash (a symbol that is longer than a hyphen) when the speaker stops speaking on their own or is interrupted. For example, this sentence just looks plain wrong: Jenny said , “ That’s unbelievable ! ”. hphen – en dash – em dash — 2-em dash —— 3-em dash ———. While closely related to other dashes—like the en dash (–) and hyphen (-)—the em dash serves a unique role in typography. However I run into a bump with special characters like curly quotes en and em dashes etc. This type of dash is usually used to omit a person's name or. Infographic: How to use an em dash. — Question Mark. An em dash or a pair of em dashes may indicate a sudden break in thought or sentence structure or an interruption in dialogue. 1973. This. They are useful for emotionally-loaded dialogue interruption, because emotions act quickly on the brain. Punctuation Marks Wheel : This 2-page print-out makes a punctuation marks wheel; it consists of a base page together with a wheel that spins around. “Wait!” she shouted. (it will become an em dash. Em Dashes Besides being my favorite piece of punctuation, an em dash (—) is used to indicate a break in thought or sentence structure, to introduce a phrase added for emphasis, definition, or explanation, or to separate two clauses. En-dash: An en-dash is wider than a hyphen but narrower than an em-dash. If you format it properly—like this—it counts the words on both sides of the dash as just one word. And an example:There are two primary types of dashes: the em dash (—) and the en dash (–). Look at it. However, the semicolon, colon, dash, question mark, and exclamation point fall outside of the quotation marks (unless, of course, the quoted material has internal punctuation of its own). Learn more about punctuation. Parenthetical expressions, despite their name, don’t always have to be between parentheses. I know I could—and probably should—just remove the question mark, having only the em dash for separation, but then that gets rid of that question-like tone I want the reader to have. If a sentence ends with quoted material, the period is placed inside the closing quotation mark, even if the period is not part of the original quotation. 1)”Can we go to the cinema?” she asked. k. Note: When the second clause expands on or explains the first, the colon is the better mark. The dash is a great way to indicate an abrupt change of thought or a parenthetical statement, and sometimes this may be useful after a question is complete. (We won’t get into the serial comma issue here. One is to connect continuing, inclusive numbers. Etc. Below are lines of five each of em dashes, en dashes, minuses, and hyphens, all separated by a normal space. ” Stutters, Stammers, and Pauses. Learn how to use em dashes in a sentence with these examples and best practices. As its name suggests, an em dash (—) is roughly the length of the letter M, while an en dash (–) more closely matches an N. The good news is that the ACT isn’t going to test you on the differences between the two. Anything powerful enough to cross the Wall usually retained enough magic to assume the shape of a soldier, or to become invisible. Em dashes can replace ellipses to show an abrupt break in a conversation. Em dashes are compelling punctuation marks, rich with punctuation possibilities. Some methods for forming these punctuation marks on a PC: En dash—hold down the Alt key and type 0150 on the numeric keypad. Then, click Undo Dash. Write an em dash. The correct use of em-dashes and ellipses. It can either become: Woman: without her, man is nothing. A single em dash character or a tilde may also be used. While closely related to other dashes—like the en dash (–) and hyphen (-)—the em dash serves a unique role in typography. When the dash is used, the change in the thought or sentence structure should be evident and distinct. There should be no space on either side of the dash, including when it is followed by a quotation mark. The stores were filled with holiday shoppers—even more so than last year. The Mac command to make an em dash. (stenoscript) When used as punctuation, an en or em dash is doubled, like a long ⹀, to distinguish it from its phonetic use. Yeah, it could be seen as completed, but in that case the em-dash adds a bit of expression that wouldn't be there without it. The em is the longest in the dash suite. British authors often prefer to use an en-dash ( – ) with spaces on either side rather than the em. , em dash, en dash, or hyphen), you should put the footnote marker before it. Always put commas and periods inside the quote. To create interrupted dialogue that everyone will recognize as such, use an em-dash where you want to end the dialogue. The following example from Toni Morrison’s Beloved shows both uses: “Nothing bad can happen to her. At the two corresponding places you will find the upside down exclamation resp. Em dash shortcut 3 (Mac): If you are on mac, below is a shortcut to help you type the em dash sign in Word. g. 5. It was first. For instance, you would render a character named Mr. 91 Em dashes in lieu of quotation marks; 6. Two em dashes can be used to indicate missing portions of a word, whether unknown or intentionally omitted. MLA doesn't touch on more than 2 subtitles; however, there is a syntax for a work with more than one title which makes use of ; or, as the delimiter, so perhaps stay away from using semicolons. 1月—7月 "January to July", which can also be written 1月到7月, with the character 到 in place of the dash). ] There’s even more explanation: If the break belongs to the surrounding sentence rather than to the quoted material, the em dashes must appear outside the quotation marks. Collingwood as Mr. To create an em-dash on a Windows computer, hold down the [Alt] key and type 0151 on the numeric keypad. I tried using sharpkeys but it wouldn't let me use a chord, only single key press. En dashes are incredibly useful punctuation marks, used to add extra emphasis to a sentence or statement. The San Diego–Las Vegas flight is on time. Alternatively, pairs of em dashes are used to mark off additionalAn en-dash is also used in numerical series as in from ten–twenty pieces. Hyphens are not separated by spaces, while a dash has a space on either side. Note that although this answer cites only CMOS, I'm fairly confident (based on experience) that most major style. Em-dashes. EM-DASH (–) – with this punctuation mark, you can introduce an explanation or specification, make a break in thought, or separate two parts of the sentence. A colon is quieter; a dash is more emphatic and dramatic. We met during the 2011 – 2012 school year. When you use AutoCorrect Options, you can also click Stop Automatically Creating Dashes, or click Control AutoCorrect Options to open the AutoCorrect dialog box. It was originally a humorous and slightly sanitized version of the curse word, but it has become the standard form. E. The hex number is case-insensitive,. If you prefer, you can configure your keyboard in Windows to accept Unicode codepoint numbers, instead of "traditional". 3) The Repeating 'Em' Dash. "SAMPLE - TEXT". Both the colon and the em dash introduce new information that explains or builds upon something that precedes it. An en-dash is also used as a minus sign as in –10°F. Resume the dialogue with another opening quotation mark, complete the dialogue, and end with a period and a closing quotation mark. When it comes at the end of a list, put a comma before it if you use the serial comma and don’t if you don’t use the serial comma. Most commonly, a dash connects an independent clause with another, with a related thought plus a conjunction like or, but, yet, as, for, and after the second dash. For example, with mo—n for 'more than', the dash is likely to be written at x-height. What Are Dashes? – or — There are two types of dashes: en dashes and em dashes. The question mark can be followed with a dash where necessary: He left—would you believe it?—immediately after the ball. And an example:There are 14 punctuation marks that are used in the English language. For windows, you can hold down the ‘Alt’ and ‘-‘ key and you will get an en dash. The em-dash emphasizes the conclusion of the sentence, but with less formality than a colon. By Jessica Bennett. On our way to school, we walk past the Turner Farm—the oldest dairy farm in town—and watch the cows being fed. "Four!"Em Dash (—) Question Mark (?) Slash (/). Like the em dash, the en dash is typically available on your word processor’s symbol map, or it may even be inserted automatically by your word processor when you type inclusive numbers or dates with a hyphen between them. It can function like a comma, parenthesis, or colon. An em-dash can be used alone, as in this example from the online The Punctuation Guide: After months of deliberation, the jurors reached a unanimous verdict—guilty. g. , long-term, red-haired). The em dash is primarily used to emphasize or add additional information to a. You may see an EN dash used in the same way as the EM dash. m. Option C is eliminated because there must be some punctuation for linking. Our Rule 1 of Spacing with Punctuation states, “With a computer, use only one space following periods, commas, semicolons, colons, exclamation points, question marks, and quotation marks. Examples. Many programs also automatically create an em dash when you type two single hyphens together. Mistakes with hyphens are very common: leaving them out when they’re needed, adding them when they’re unnecessary, or putting them. When injecting a descriptive clause into a sentence, you are free to use em dashes, commas, or parentheses. 27, 2015. If you want to use hyphens before and after your text, click AutoCorrect Options. And Words into Type, third edition (1974), without referring explicitly to dashes, also agrees: Direct questions. SQL*Plus inherits character set from. And you wouldn't have to do any kind of terminal punctuation, no need for a period or a question mark or an exclamation point. Em dashes are most often used in pairs to call a reader’s attention to the material they set off, making words, phrases, or clauses particularly dramatic or emotional. 7. Commas allow for a smoother read than dashes, which interrupt the sentence to draw the reader’s attention. But in that case the dash is supposed to be the length of the omitted word, not just a mere em-dash. Punctuation Em-dash before question mark. Dashes and hyphens. Typesetters will most likely try to track you down and beat you to death if they discover you're using the wrong term :-) Share. In HTML, XHTML, or XML, you can use a character escape to represent any Unicode character using only ASCII letters. Key stroke shortcuts: em-dash = alt + 0151; en-dash = alt + 0150. Em Dashes The em dash is the longest line among these marks of punctuation (—). For more ALT codes for various signs and symbols, see ALT Codes for Miscellaneous Symbols. Use to indicate duration or continuing or inclusive numbers such as dates, times or reference numbers, use an en-dash (a slightly. So, they cannot be linked by comma (Commas are only used to link a dependent and an independent clause).