How do you use dashes correctly?

Use dashes to mark the beginning and end of a series, which might otherwise get confused, with the rest of the sentence: Example: The three female characters—the wife, the nun, and the jockey—are the incarnation of excellence. Dashes are also used to mark the interruption of a sentence in dialogue: Example: “Help!

Can a hyphen replace a dash?

(6) A Dash in Place of a Hyphen in a Compound Adjective with Equal Parts. A dash (generally, an “en dash”) can replace a hyphen in a compound adjective with two equal elements.

What is a dash one?

Measured out in drops, using a precise, milliliter-dropper like the ones used to dispense medicine, a dash is about 10 single drops. Measured out in teaspoons, a dash would be 1/5 teaspoon, or as I discovered in my kitchen, between 1/8th teaspoon and 1/4 teaspoon.

What is a dash punctuation examples?

Dashes replace otherwise mandatory punctuation, such as the commas after Iowa and 2020 in the following examples: Without dash: The man from Ames, Iowa, arrived. With dash: The man—he was from Ames, Iowa—arrived. Without dash: The May 1, 2020, edition of the Ames Sentinel arrived in June.

Is it okay to use dashes in an essay?

The first thing to know when talking about dashes is that they are almost never required by the laws of grammar and punctuation. Overusing dashes can break up the flow of your writing, making it choppy or even difficult to follow, so don’t overdo it.

What is dash example?

Dashes replace otherwise mandatory punctuation, such as the commas after Iowa and 2020 in the following examples:

• Without dash: The man from Ames, Iowa, arrived.
• With dash: The man—he was from Ames, Iowa—arrived.
• Without dash: The May 1, 2020, edition of the Ames Sentinel arrived in June.

How do you use a dash in a sentence?

Generally, you need the hyphen only if the two words are functioning together as an adjective before the noun they’re describing. If the noun comes first, leave the hyphen out. This wall is load bearing. It’s impossible to eat this cake because it is rock hard.

What does a dash mean in a sentence?

A dash (—) is a punctuation mark used to set off an idea within a sentence and may be used alone or in pairs. Dashes interrupt a thought in a more dramatic way than a phrase enclosed in commas, but less theatrically than parentheses.

What is a dash on the keyboard?

Alternatively known as a dash, subtract, negative, or minus sign, the hyphen ( – ) is a punctuation mark on the underscore key next to the “0” key on US keyboards. Keyboard help and support.

Can dashes be used as commas?

Em dashes in place of commas A pair of em dashes can be used in place of commas to enhance readability. Note, however, that dashes are always more emphatic than commas.

When to use a dash versus a hyphen?

Use en dash instead of hyphen for dates. English grammar states that an en dash should be used, not hyphens between dates: An em-dash is typically used as a stand-in for a comma or parenthesis to separate out phrases—or even just a word—in a sentence for various reasons (i.e. an appositive).

How does a hyphen differ from a dash?

A hyphen joins two or more words together while a dash separates words into parenthetical statements. The two are sometimes confused because they look so similar, but their usage is different. Hyphens are not separated by spaces, while a dash has a space on either side.

Is an en dash and hyphen the same?

Technically, the dash is also referred to as the en-dash, while the hyphen is referred to as the em-dash. These technical terms were given based on the length of the line. Traditionally, the hyphen was the same length of the letter ‘m’ on the typewriter, while the dash was the same length as the letter ‘n’ on the typewriter.

When to use a hyphen, an en dash or an em dash?

Hyphens are also used in all compound numbers twenty-one through ninety-nine. En dashes are used to show ranges of any kind. This could be in numbers, such as page numbers (55-102) or time (1:00-2:30), or months, such as July-October. Em dashes can be used in place of commas, colons, semi-colons, or parentheses.