We can also use em dashes to cut off thoughts or dialogue, as in the example below. “Then we went to this really nice café and he—oh! Look at that squirrel!” Examples of Using an Em Dash in a Sentence Here are some more examples em dashes in sentences. He asked—well, more...
The em dash is sometimes considered a less formal equivalent of the colon and parenthesis, but in truth it’s used in all kinds of writing, including the most formal—the choice of which mark to use is really a matter of personal preference. ...
The truth of the matter is that the En-Dash is the easiest to understand and use, and as such, it is the least likely to cause errors and/or confusion. It is also important to realize that the en-dash and the em-dash play completely different roles when it comes to writing. That s...
The hyphen, em dash and en dash are everywhere, but most of us don’t know when or why to use them – and different writers use the dashes in different ways. Let’s figure this out! What do they look like? –hyphen –en dash(or ndash, en-dash or n-dash) ...
Specifically, an en dash is preferred when one element of the compound is itself an open compound. For example, the prefix post- is usually connected to the following word with a hyphen, but to connect it to the compound noun World War II, it’s better to use an en dash. The post–...
en dash: when to use each symbol My editor made me add this, so really quickly, here's the difference between an em and en dash: The em dash (—) is used to separate extra information or mark a break in a sentence. For example: A notebook, pen, and laptop—these were all in...
The em dash is longer and generally used to note a break, provide drama, or give an example. Writers use the en dash like this: “To pass the class, Sally needs to score between 80%–90% on the exam.” In contrast, writers use the em dash like this: “Alex needs to pass ...
When to Use Em Dash Here are some common scenarios when you may want to use an em dash: 1. Emphasizing a Word or Phrase Use an em dash to draw attention to a specific word or phrase, adding emphasis to it within a sentence. Example: “The research findings revealed a substantial impro...
When to use an em dash? 1. To replace parentheses Normally, you use parentheses to offset something parenthetical (extra information that is optional to understanding the main idea). Want to add some flair and style to your text? Use em dashes instead, like in this example: ...
A writing coach explains how to properly use em dashes, ellipses, and parenthesesNoah Friedman