How To Use Em Dashes Correctly
En dashes also known as a short dash are used for ranges of values e g.
How to use em dashes correctly. Uses of the em dash. Make sure not to confuse dashes with shorter hyphens which are used to combine words as in well behaved or long running. They provide variety to your sentence structure plus add style to your writing. Most often these are ranges of numbers or dates and are used. If you want to include the parenthetical content more subtly use parentheses.
The longer em dash is used to separate extra information or mark a break in a sentence. However they can add a punch or stress a point when used in just the. Using em dashes instead of parentheses puts the focus on the information between the em dashes. But above all be careful to use them thoughtfully. Em dashes so called because they are at least historically the width of the character m are used for emphasis or interruption.
Em dashes also known as a long dash are used to make a pause in a sentence followed by a strong point in a situation where using a comma is too weak. For this usage make sure you use two em dashes. If you want to draw attention to the parenthetical content use dashes. Dashes are considered less formal than parentheses. The en dash is longer than a hyphen but shorter than an em dash and almost exclusively used to indicate ranges of things.
Place em dashes around non essential information or a list in the middle of a sentence like you would with commas. Em dashes are often used to set off parenthetical information. There are three types of dashes in writing used to convey different ideas in an engaging way. Putting spaces before and after an em dash is a matter of preference. They don t add much if you use them carelessly as i m doing in this sentence.
They can be used on their own or in pairs to offset a word or phrase. Em dashes set apart parenthetical phrases or clauses in a sentence in this use em dashes are similar to commas and parentheses but there are subtle differences for example em dashes are used when a parenthetical remark contains an internal comma or would otherwise sound awkward if enclosed by commas. A pair of em dashes can replace a pair of parentheses. Em dashes are great. They are also more intrusive.