What are the rules for using a dash?
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What are the rules for using a dash?
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!
When to use a dash in a sentence instead of a comma?
Use Dashes in Place of a Comma Em dashes can be used in pairs to replace commas when writing a parenthetical or interruptive phrase. The dashes have a slightly more emphatic feel, making the reader focus on this information that is set inside the special marks.
Can a dash end with a comma?
The em-dash does not take comma after it. That’s because, as you said it correctly, it replaces a comma so you don’t need to put it again. An em-dash may replace commas, semicolons, colons, and parentheses to indicate added emphasis, an interruption, or an abrupt change of thought.
What is the use of dash in a sentence?
Use dashes to set off an idea or an appositive within 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.
How do you write dialogue rules?
Below are some rules you can use to help you improve your ability to write dialogue:
- Use dialogue tags.
- Use a variety of dialogue tags.
- Separate new speakers.
- Punctuate inside quotation marks.
- Remove quotation marks for multiple paragraphs.
- Capitalize only at the start of sentences.
- Use single quotes within the dialogue.
What is dash used for in punctuation?
Grammarly. 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). It’s longer than a hyphen and is commonly used to indicate a range or a pause. Dashes are used to separate groups of words, not to separate parts of words like a hyphen does.