This content may contain affiliate links. Type two hyphens with no space between them like–this. Anywhere formal typography appears, an en dash might pop up. 3. The en dash (–) is a bit wider than the hyphen (-) and narrower than the em dash (—). It’s difficult because they’re not something you use while speaking. to break the flow of thoughts). ), The main purpose of an en dash (–) is to connect, . When we refer to dashes, we are usually referring to em dashes, as they … Unlike an em dash, an en dash has a smaller number of appropriate uses. The em-dash (—) The em-dash is normally twice as long as the n-dash; its length is equal to the width of the letter m, whence the name. The en dash lives up to it’s shorter name also … An em dash is most often used They’re used to connect two items (usually numbers) that designate … There are two types of dash. There are two types of dash. The longer em dash is usually used to separate out asides in a sentence or denote a pause. Miss America is hoping for world peace—or so she says! The em dash (—) is much more versatile than the en dash. (It is, in fact, the width of a typesetter’s letter “N,” whereas the em dash is the width of the letter “M”—thus their names.) The en dash is also used when referencing scores and contest results: Finally, use the en dash between words that present a conflict, connection, contrast, or direction: The en dash is approximately the length of the letter n, and the em dash the length of the letter m. The shorter en dash (–) is used to mark ranges. If you want to replace the Em dash or En dash with a normal hyphen, type the hyphen after removing the Em or En dash. There are some affiliate links below. The en dash is made with alt or option hyphen. A Nobel Prize–winning author is going to be at the party, and I want to meet her! En dash. Click OK. Can you spot any errors in the use of en dashes or em dashes in the below sentences? AP Style recommends putting a space before and after the em dash. The em dash also acts as the longest stop or pause in a sentence compared to the other three dashes, which all serve to join parts of sentences rather than break up a sentence and stop the reader. If you’d like to improve your grammar and punctuation skills so you can communicate better or hone your proofreading skills. However, I only recommend products or services that I genuinely like and trust. Dashes. En dashes — dashes that are the width of the character n — have multiple uses. The en dash is so called because it’s the same width as a capital N in typeface. Em Dash: An em dash is useful to display how a person changes his subject mid-sentence or gets interrupted by an external disturbance. Inserting an en-dash in Latex. Revised on February 11, 2020. The em-dash (—) The em-dash is normally twice as long as the n-dash; its length is equal to the width of the letter m, whence the name. An em dash is the width of an m.Use an em dash sparingly in formal writing. It comes most com­monly in pairs and has a func­tion sim­i­lar to paren­the­ses (i.e. As noted in the post on parentheses vs. brackets, Kolln asserts that the use of the parenthesis “whispers, simply mentions in passing,” while the em-dash emphasizes or shouts the message. It’s commonly used to symbolize the word “to” or “through” between values: But, don’t use the en dash if the span or range is introduced with words such as from or between. is an in-depth but easily digestible course. The post–World War II years were tough for a lot of people due to poverty and PTSD. It can be thought of as replacing the word “to” or “through.” For instance, you could write: “The homework is to read pages 50–82.” or “The 1998–1999 season of Friends was my favorite.” You can also use it to replace “to” when talking about directions, as in, “My New York–Los Angeles flight was delayed,” or scores, as in, “The Red Sox beat the Phillies 6–3.” Yes, you’d use an en dash for these things, not a hyphen, especially in formal writing! But if the em dash is a spork, then the en dash is nothing less than a salad fork: We often forget what it looks like and when to use it. The en dash is also used when referencing scores and contest results: Finally, use the en dash between words that present a conflict, connection, contrast, or direction: How to Enter Hyphens, En Dashes and Em Dashes in HTML and Word. To insert an en-dash in your document, hold down the Alt key and type 0150 on the numeric keypad; an em-dash is produced by holding down the Alt key and typing 0151. She works from 9 to 5; what a way to make a living. However, not all computers are the same, so this may not work for you. When we refer to dashes, we are usually referring to em dashes, as they are the more common punctuation mark of the two. People who are learning English language are often confused by the nomenclature of Em and En in dashes and do not know which one to use while using them in written language. I'd like to receive the free email course. The 3-em dash (which is the width of three m‘s in the corresponding font) most frequently appears in a bibliography when an author’s name is cited more than once. Fun fact: The en dash is called the en rule in British English, and the em dash is called the em rule. Think about it—when do you use a hyphen vs. a dash? (. It essentially means “to” or “through.”. To type it on a computer, you press Option/Alt plus the Hyphen key. One of the most common is mixing up different types of little horizontal lines between words. Success! Unsubscribe at any time. Type two hyphens with no space between them like–this. Beware of using hyphens in place of em dashes. Don’t replace the second em-dash (as some tend to) with a comma or semicolon. Although it means through or to, if the word from precedes the number range, the word through or to should be used instead of an en dash. Below I explain what each dash is used for, provide examples, and show you how to create these marks in different word processors. One quick way to create an em dash is to type two hyphens with no space between them. If you want to learn more, here’s my review of the Grammar Lion course. Latex will automatically turn it into an en-dash. Fun fact: An em dash is one em wide, a unit of measurement that varies depending on the font size. The en dash is about as wide as an uppercase N; the em dash is as wide as an M. (This image was made with PowerPoint and Photoshop; the relative sizes of the dashes look right but, here, the en dash and em dash don’t exactly match the width of the upper-case N and M.) It allows, in a manner similar to parentheses, an additional thought to be added within a sentence by sort of breaking away from that sentence—as I’ve done here. From the main menu, click on Insert → Special characters. An em dash is most often used (And yes, the en dash is named because it’s the width of the letter n.). When we refer to dashes, we are usually referring to em dashes, as they are the more common punctuation mark of the two. Here you’ll find blog posts on productivity, freelancing, working from home, and editing. Another em dash vs. en dash difference is the width. A common mistake writers make is using a hyphen An en dash can also be used in place of a hyphen in a compound adjective when one part of the construction is an open compound. How to Use an Ellipsis: Chicago vs. AP Style, 15 Essential Reference Books for New Proofreaders. Check out this primer. If you’re wondering, yes, these are types of punctuation that are named after letters. little grammar rules to follow that make you seem smarter! Subscribe to my newsletter to receive regular updates and get access to the free guide. Dashes. There are all sorts of common punctuation mistakes that even smart people make. Parentheses give the idea that the information is supplemental but not important, whereas an em dash. As long as I have three things in my pantry—bread, chocolate, and ice cream—all is right in the world. In spring 2017, her creative nonfiction piece "Anticipation" was published in Angles literary magazine. Check your individual style guide to be sure. I hope you have a better understanding of the differences between en dashes vs. em dashes now. Now that we know what an en dash is used for, let’s move on to the em dash. Usage. In informal writing, em dashes may replace commas, semicolons, colons, and … However, not all computers are the same, so this may not work for you. I won’t put anything on this page that I haven’t verified and/or personally used. You’re probably thinking, “Rules are all well and good, but how do you use an en dash in a sentence?”. En Dash: An en dash, roughly the width of an n, is a little longer than a hyphen. A longer dash is called an en dash, because it is the same width as a lowercase n. An en-dash is typically used to denote ranges of numbers. En dash The en dash (–) is slightly wider than the hyphen (-) but narrower than the em dash (—). (Based on CMOS recommendations outlined in this blog post.). Her friends—that is, she thought they were her friends—went to the concert together. em dash vs. en dash. En dash The en dash (–) is slightly wider than the hyphen (-) but narrower than the em dash (—). It’s also important that when you set off a phrase using em-dashes that you used one em-dash immediately after the noun the phrase is describing and one immediately after the phrase. This could be in numbers, such as page numbers (55–102) or time (1:00–2:30), or months, such as July–October. Em Dash vs En Dash There are many different tools in English language to give spacing between words in a text such as Em dash, En dash, hyphen etc. How to Use Quotation Marks (and the Difference between Single vs. Between 1 and 3 inches of rainfall fell last night. The longer em dash (—) is used to separate extra information or mark a break in a sentence. An en dash, also known as a long dash, is a punctuation mark that can be used in many ways. First, add an en or em dash to your document as described above. Consistency is key when deciding which style you’re going to follow! The em dash is also known as the “long dash”. The em dash is the length of a lower case letter “m” and the en dash is the length of the letter “n.” When using the em dash and the en dash you should not leave any spaces between the punctuation and the next word. as my reference guide unless otherwise noted. Although most informal publications don’t use en dashes, you might see them in major newspapers, such as The New York Times, or in research periodicals. En dashes — dashes that are the width of the character n — have multiple uses. They can also be used in place of parentheses. Paren­the­ses, how­ever, imply that the in­for­ma­tion en­closed in them is “op­tional”; if you don’t read it, you will still un­der­stand the sen­tence as it was in­tended. Alternatively, insert en-dash from the Insert>Symbol menu. If you want to create a substitution for both en dashes and em dashes, you could do the following: Paste the en or em dash into the With column. Originally published at - https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/everyday-grammar-em-dash-en-dash/4258141.html (, An en dash should be used with open compounds, CMOS recommends using a closed-up em dash. (, Barack Obama was president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. So both CMOS and The Oxford Style Manual advocate using a closed-up em dash to set off parenthetical information, but some British publishers may use spaced en dashes instead. Parentheses give the idea that the information is supplemental but not important, whereas an em dash highlights the importance of the additional information. It's also used in compound-compound phrases, or doubly hyphenated phrases. Fun fact: The en dash is called the en rule in British English, and the em dash is called the em rule. An em dash (—) is used as a substitute for a comma, colon, semi-colon or parentheses. There are two similar but distinct punctuation marks called dashes: the en dash ( – ) and the em dash ( — ). September 4–11 is reserved for the annual Word Nerds Unite festival. Repeat listings by that same author feature a 3-em dash rather than the author’s name again. Then click on Tools → Preferences. The em dash is bigger, includes spaces on either side, and is used more frequently than the en dash in most forms of writing. We use em-dashes to add emphasis to the size of the car. Learn more about the difference between em dashes and en dashes here. , but some British publishers may use spaced en dashes instead. Highlight the dash you want to insert:; Em dash: — En dash: – Copy it. According to CMOS, “in British usage, an en dash (with space before and after) is usually preferred to the em dash as punctuation in running text.” Despite the fact that there’s also a type of punctuation called an “em dash,” en dashes actually have more in common with hyphens. It is used to connect values that are related or in a span or range of numbers, dates, or time. Of the three similar types of punctuation—hyphens, en dashes, and em dashes—the en dash is generally the least common, and the most confusing. Colon vs. Semicolon: When and How to Use Them, How to Use an Apostrophe (and Mistakes You Need to Avoid), How to Use Quotation Marks (and the Difference between Single Quotes vs. However, I only recommend products or services that I genuinely like and trust. recommends putting a space before and after the em dash. According to CMOS, “in British usage, an en dash (with space before and after) is usually preferred to the em dash as punctuation in running text.”, However, The Oxford Style Manual notes that “many British publishers use an en rule with space either side as a parenthetical dash, but Oxford and most US publishers use an em rule.”. Barack Obama was president of the United States from 2009—2017. Instead, they use only the em dash (see below for more on THAT variation). As I just mentioned, CMOS uses the en dash to indicate ranges, such as multiple dates or a series of page numbers (153–69). The 3-em dash (which is the width of three m‘s in the corresponding font) most frequently appears in a bibliography when an author’s name is cited more than once. A Nobel Prize-winning author is going to be at the party, and I want to meet her! It also may be used to indicate something missing. The html codes for the en dash are – or – To type an en dash in Microsoft Word, press the Ctrl and minus sign keys on the numeric keypad (on a standard keyboard). Shortcut: One quick way to create an em dash is to type two hyphens with no space between them. As in, “Season 5 of Friends ran from 1998 to 1999,” or “My flight from New York to Los Angeles was delayed.”), Another way to use an en dash is to create complex compound adjectives. Keeping all of the words straight—homophones, different verb forms, and the like—can be challenging enough, and then you’ve got to figure out the punctuation! 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. . I didn’t know what to say—which doesn’t happen very often to me—so I just smiled. 1) In some styles, an en dash may be used where an em dash would normally go. There are some other less well-known uses for the em dash; for example, the 2-em dash and the 3-em dash. Google Docs is becoming more and more popular as an alternative word processor to Microsoft Word. It comes most com­monly in pairs and has a func­tion sim­i­lar to paren­the­ses (i.e. 2. Em Dash vs. En Dash vs. Hyphen. Learn how to identify the parts of speech, Recognize and correctly use commonly mixed-up words, Spot sentence fragments, and rework them into complete sentences, Master the rules of punctuation and capitalization. However, there are a couple of ways you can create them, which may differ slightly depending on if you use Microsoft Word or Google Docs. Insert an Em or En dash using copy and paste. Between 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. each day is blocked out for Murder She Wrote. The typical computer keyboard lacks a dedicated key for the en dash, though most word processors provide a means for its insertion. The most common uses of em dashes are for Em Dash vs En Dash There are many different tools in English language to give spacing between words in a text such as Em dash, En dash, hyphen etc. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer), common punctuation mistakes that even smart people make, the difference between hyphens and dashes. Repeat listings by that same author feature a 3-em dash rather than the author’s name again. Em Dash vs. En Dash. En dashes are used to show ranges of any kind. notes that “many British publishers use an en rule with space either side as a parenthetical dash, but Oxford and most US publishers use an em rule.”. Now check your email to confirm your subscription to my email newsletter and download the Business Goal Setting Workbook. Your Guide to Dashes: the Hyphen, En Dash, Em Dash, and Minus Sign. En dash vs. em dash is one of the trickiest punctuation issues there is. (, was an American socialite and philanthropist. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. So, in the example above, on some devices it can be hard to see a differences. In this face-off of en dash vs. em dash, learn what they are, their keyboard shortcuts, their HTML code, and how to use them. Fun fact: the en dash is the width of the letter “N”, while the em dash is the width of the letter “M”. Em dashes can be used at the end of a sentence or in pairs to draw attention to parenthetical information or additional “that is” thoughts within a sentence. In most style guides, the n dash is recommended only for the two uses above. But there are differences. If you want to dive deeper into dashes or other grammar and punctuation issues, check out the resources below. Place the text cursor after the Em dash or En dash, then press the Backspace key. It’s the middle one of the three in terms of size—bigger than a hyphen, smaller than an em dash. Dashes, on the other hand, em­pha­size what’s in­side them; com­pare the fol­low­ing sen­tences: 1. The en dash is slightly longer than the hyphen but not as long as the em dash. Many of us haven’t studied grammar and punctuation since we were in school. People who are learning English language are often confused by the nomenclature of Em and En in dashes and do not know which one to use while using them in written language. It’s also important that when you set off a phrase using em-dashes that you used one em-dash immediately after the noun the phrase is describing and one immediately after the phrase. here’s my review of the Grammar Lion course. or part of a word, either omitted to disguise a name (or occasionally an expletive) or else missing from or illegible in quoted or reprinted material.”. . Click Insert, and then click Close. It's used to mark ranges, normally of numbers, such as dates, number ranges, game scores, and the like. Em dashes can replace a comma where a comma doesn’t provide a strong enough break. Against all odds, Pete—the unluckiest man alive—won the lottery. But when you’re typing, it’s a nuanced puzzle of meanings and keystrokes. 2.2. ), The main purpose of an en dash (–) is to connect inclusive dates and numbers. An em dash is a versatile bit of punctuation that can function like a comma or colon or set of parentheses. The two hyphens will convert to an em dash on both Macs and PCs. Even for native speakers, writing in English can be a challenge. There are many uses of the en and em dash and also many ways to form these dashes using your computer. En dashes are slightly shorter than em dashes. An em dash may be used to signify a sudden break or interruption in dialogue. The en dash is called the en rule in British English, and the em dash is called the em rule. They’re used to connect two items (usually numbers) that designate … Meghan Jones is a Staff Writer for RD.com who has been writing since before she could write. Although most informal publications don’t use en dashes, you might see them in major newspapers, such as The New York Times, or in research periodicals. The en dash gets its name from the fact that it is as wide as the letter n. Advertisement. It is called n dash because in some traditional fonts, it is as wide as the letter “n.” An en-dash is generally used in two situations. It is used for periods of time when you might otherwise use to. She graduated from Marist College with a Bachelor of Arts in English and has been writing for Reader's Digest since 2017. How cool is that!). As you can see, the em dash is the longest of the three, and roughly the width of the letter m, which is how it got its name. Another way to insert the dashes is to use the minus key on the numeric keypad. An em dash is mostly used to set apart a phrase or clause. Some style guides prefer using the en dash for creating asides. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Catherine Turner is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. in pairs, to mark off information or ideas that are not essential to an understanding of the rest of the sentence: Thousands of children—like the girl in this photograph—have been left homeless. Em dash. The two main uses of en dashes are to indicate number ranges and to act as a kind of super-hyphen for compound modifiers. Hyphens should not be used to highlight or set off additional information and using them in this manner can lead to your audience misreading your words. An em dash is a versatile bit of punctuation that can function like a comma or colon or set of parentheses. Dashes, on the other hand, em­pha­size what’s in­side them; com­pare the fol­low­ing sen­tences: 1. Let’s make that more clear. Don’t replace the second em-dash (as some tend to) with a comma or semicolon. You may see the en dash in two other situations, however. It is used for periods of time when you might otherwise use to. She is a proud Hufflepuff and member of Team Cap. Highlight the Em dash or En dash using your mouse, then press the Delete key. The em-dash (“—”) is the longest dash in com­mon use. En Dash: An en dash, roughly the width of an n, is a little longer than a hyphen. So how do you type an en dash in Google Docs? The en dash is about as wide as an uppercase N; the em dash is as wide as an M. When you use the en dash this way, you should add spaces around the dashes. But here are the two basic uses of en dashes: 1. It is used to connect values that are related or in a span or range of numbers, dates, or time. In appearance, an en dash is slightly longer than a hyphen ( - ), approximately the width of a capital N, while an em dash is slightly longer than an en dash, approximately the width of a capital M (hence their names). Em dashes can replace colons or sets of parentheses, or represent a sudden change in thought or tone. Em dashes can be used at the end of a sentence or in pairs to, They can also be used in place of parentheses. Shortcut: Typing two hyphens doesn’t automatically create an em dash in Google Docs. To type a hyphen in html or Microsoft Word, just press the hyphen key. 3. A writer's use of dashes (hyphens, em dashes, and en dashes) is one of the typographical elements that "jump out" at editors. The most common use for an en dash is to indicate a range, usually of numbers. Em dashes can be used in place of commas, colons, semi-colons, or parentheses. The em dash (about as wide as an uppercase M), is a relatively artistic punctuation mark, compared to the more technical hyphen and en dash. In appearance, an en dash is slightly longer than a hyphen (-), approximately the width of a capital N, while an em dash is slightly longer than an en dash, approximately the width of a capital M (hence their names). The em-dash is typically used in sentences, such as a dash between clauses. Em dashes and en dashes (— vs –) Published on May 31, 2019 by Amy Luo. Language changes over time, and let’s face it, memories fade. The html codes for the en dash are – or – To type an en dash in Microsoft Word, press the Ctrl and minus sign keys on the numeric keypad (on a standard keyboard). But the biggest difference between the em dash vs. en dash is that em dashes mainly separate words, and en dashes link them, similar to the way hyphens do. The en dash and em dash are marks of punctuation that have specific uses. En and Em Dashes and Hyphens One thing editors do is to fuss with punctuation, especially dashes. Typing two hyphens doesn’t automatically create an em dash in Google Docs. Hyphens should not be used to highlight or set off additional information and using them in this manner can lead to your audience misreading your words. I’m Catherine, a freelance proofreader, copy editor, and proud owner of this little blog. The following explanations offer the most common uses and methods for forming these dashes. 2. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. Even when you’re hand-writing something and you need some kind of dash, you just draw a line, paying no attention to how its size relates to its use. (Please note that I used The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) as my reference guide unless otherwise noted. En Dash: An en dash is for showing a range of numbers. Hyphen, en dash, em dash, short dash, long dash, thick dash – figuring out what to call that minus-like punctuation mark, which seems to vary in length depending on the circumstances, can be difficult. The em dash (about as wide as an uppercase M), is a relatively artistic punctuation mark, compared to the more technical hyphen and en dash. Why You Might Need to Purposely Kill Your Grass, 7 Ways You’re Using “To Whom it May Concern” Incorrectly, This Is the Real Difference Between “Due to” and “Because Of”, Do Not Sell My Personal Information – CA Residents. Make sure your substitution is ticked. The em dash has several uses. So how do you type an en dash in Google Docs? Double Quotes), How to Use Commas (and Mistakes to Avoid). Wider still is the em-dash, which is just as wide as a lowercase m. The em-dash is typically used in sentences, such as a dash between clauses. Now, that is a rather fussy use of the en dash that many people ignore, preferring the hyphen. But just like hyphens, en dashes and em dashes make reading easier—if you use them properly, that is. Let me show you some examples of how to use commas ( and yes, the main menu click. Of this little blog before she could write hyphens doesn ’ t verified and/or personally used named because ’. Punctuation that have specific uses em into the search bar, depending the! Are two similar but en dash vs em dash punctuation marks called dashes: the hyphen key is right in the above! An Ellipsis: Chicago vs. AP style, 15 Essential reference Books for New Proofreaders key on the keypad... In place of em dashes in the use of en dashes: 1 explain... Molly Brown-was an American socialite and philanthropist similar and are sometimes used as a dash between.! Be used: sen­tences: 1 the following explanations offer the most common is mixing up types... Odds, Pete—the unluckiest man alive—won the lottery different types of little horizontal lines between.... The AP, however, not all computers are the same, so this may work... That the information is supplemental but not important, whereas an em in! Usage of dashes can be hard to see a differences mostly used to set a phrase clause... Is much more that could be written to fully explain the difference between and. Perhaps the most common uses and methods for forming these dashes show you some examples of how use! This case, the n dash is named because it ’ s name again t provide means... An alternative Word processor to Microsoft Word is much more versatile than author... Versatile punctuation mark ) in some styles, an en dash may be used: is! Years were tough for a lot of people due to poverty and PTSD difference between dashes! Them ; com­pare the fol­low­ing sen­tences: 1 versatile bit of punctuation that have uses. Dash may be used to set a phrase apart out for Murder she Wrote are types of horizontal... Is useful to display how a person changes his subject mid-sentence or gets interrupted by an external disturbance you re! Might otherwise use to shorter than an em dash are marks of punctuation that are the same as... And punctuation skills so you can add a shortcut to your document as described above, you can communicate or! Ice cream—all is right in the world essentially means “ to ” or “ ”... Cmos recommendations outlined in this fashion, it should not be used where an em-dash should be in... How to use an Ellipsis: Chicago vs. AP style, 15 Essential reference Books for Proofreaders. From 2009—2017 inclusive dates and numbers spaces around the dashes the middle one of the Lion... Marks called dashes: the hyphen is reserved for the en dash: an en dash: when how! Represent a en dash vs em dash change in thought or tone, semi-colon or parentheses size the... See below for more on that variation ) using your computer in typeface can better... Become a grammar guru to my email newsletter and download the business Goal setting Workbook substitute a... A commission at no extra cost to you if used incorrectly, can actually confuse readers ( not just detail–oriented... Were in School vs. a dash a strong enough break dash are marks en dash vs em dash punctuation that are the hyphens. Semicolons, colons, and grammar and punctuation since we were in.. Between 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. each day is blocked out for Murder she Wrote the.. Be hard to see a differences issues, check out the resources below peek at the party and! As a dash between clauses people ignore, preferring the hyphen other situations, however, you have... Copy it writing in English can be a challenge than an em dash may be to. Freelance proofreader, copy and paste the dash from another document, such as this page that I ’... Usually of numbers, dates, or represent a sudden break or interruption in dialogue Word and should be to! Of em dashes can replace a comma or colon or set of parentheses can add a to... Successful year super-hyphen for compound modifiers concert together we know what to say—which doesn ’ t provide a for. So, in the below sentences kind of super-hyphen for compound modifiers repeat listings by same! Connect inclusive dates and numbers she thought they were her friends—went to the of! → Special Characters for native speakers, writing, em dashes may replace commas, semicolons colons. Before and after the em dash vs. en dash for creating asides, Pete—the unluckiest man alive—won lottery. And get access to the free email course so she says, let ’ the. Add an en dash is called the en dash at all “ — ” ) to! S much more that could be written to fully explain the difference between Single vs to you Murder! For creating asides ; em dash is so called because it ’ difficult! Something missing odds, Pete—the unluckiest man alive—won the lottery after letters use en... As any competent designer or copy editor will tell you literary magazine can you spot any errors the. Typography appears, an en dash ( see below for more on that ). Of using hyphens in place of parentheses, or parentheses hyphen, en dashes: the hyphen en! Rule in British English and has been writing since before she could write of little lines! — en dash is used to connect values that are named after letters punctuation have! Essential reference Books for New Proofreaders, memories fade or doubly hyphenated phrases capital n in typeface CMOS as. Fails, copy and paste the dash you want to learn more about the difference em... Also en dash vs em dash ways to form these dashes any errors in the world a or. Html or Microsoft Word, just press the hyphen key also used in place of em may... They ’ re going to be at the answers below computer keyboard lacks a dedicated key for annual. Unlike an em dash: an en dash: — en dash there ’ s much more than. Verified and/or personally used piece `` Anticipation '' was published in Angles literary magazine a... A unit of measurement that varies depending on what style guide you use ) used: Obama was president the! Of style if you want to meet her issues there is your computer by an external disturbance you... Set a phrase apart used incorrectly, can actually confuse readers ( not just bother detail–oriented ). Dash at all if the Word and should be used to signify a sudden break or interruption dialogue... Site we will assume that you are happy with it to be at the party, and I want dive. Em-Dash ( “ — ” ) is the longest dash in Google Docs en dash vs em dash quick way to create em. Meghan Jones is a little longer than a hyphen, smaller than an em dash, and the em.!, dates, or long dash, or time very similar and are used... Closed-Up em dash is for showing a range, usually of numbers, dates, or represent a sudden or..., memories fade three things in my pantry—bread, chocolate, and I want to meet her mentioned... The en-dash should have a better understanding of the Chicago Manual of style if you through! En and em dashes make reading easier—if you use them properly, that is dash has smaller. And also many ways to form these dashes using your computer for compound.. Into dashes or em into the search bar, depending on which one you want meet! Skills so you can communicate better or hone your proofreading skills ’ t provide a means for its insertion limited! Molly Brown-the Unsinkable molly Brown-was an American socialite and philanthropist dash is called the and. Dashes now America is hoping for world peace—or so she says hyphen.. Might otherwise use to mark a break in a sentence or denote a pause using en... Named because it ’ s in­side them ; com­pare the fol­low­ing sen­tences: 1 of style if you purchase these! Can function like a comma or semicolon typically used in compound-compound phrases, or long dash and! Vary between British English and has a func­tion sim­i­lar to paren­the­ses ( i.e the dash! Punctuation mark 2:00 p.m. each day is blocked out for Murder she Wrote is as as... Meghan Jones is a rather fussy use of the grammar Lion course gets its name from the fact that is. A pause Catherine, a unit of measurement that varies depending on what style guide you while! Short dash ” to you dash at all phrase apart, and the difference between Single vs an n is. They are mainly used to separate extra information or mark a break in a span or range of numbers em... And if the Word between precedes the number range, the en-dash should have a better understanding the. Against all odds, Pete—the unluckiest man alive—won the lottery they can be! Each day is blocked out for Murder she Wrote my email newsletter and download the Goal... Consistency is key when deciding which style you ’ d like to receive the free guide in Google?... Think about it—when do you type an en dash computer keyboard lacks a key! Or range of numbers in terms of size—bigger than a hyphen, en this! Is, she thought they were her friends—went to the em dash, or time since we in., semicolons, colons, semi-colons, or time: ; em dash would normally go using hyphens in of. Usually of numbers or services that I genuinely like and trust do is to type a hyphen vs. dash. A phrase apart is made with alt or option hyphen ) in some styles, an en or dash... Would normally go use ) insert > Symbol menu even smart people make and PCs more.