What is the function of an en dash?

An en dash is a mid-sized dash (longer than a hyphen but shorter than an em dash) that is mostly used to show ranges in numbers and dates. It can also be used for clarity in forming complex compound adjectives. The en dash derives its name from the fact that it is meant to be the same width as the letter N.

What are the 3 types of dashes?

There are actually three different types of dashes: the em-dash, the en-dash, and the 3-em dash. The em-dash can be used to replace parentheses, colons, and commas. Generally, using the em-dash makes the writing style more informal—as if you were writing to an old friend.

How do the dashes em dash and en dash get their names?

Both types of dashes are frequently confused for each other and another type of punctuation: the hyphen (-). The en dash and em dash get their names from their approximate length: The en dash is shorter, about the width of the letter N, and the em dash is longer, about the width of the letter M.

What is the difference between a hyphen and an em dash?

A hyphen (-) is a punctuation mark that’s used to join words or parts of words. A dash is longer than a hyphen and is commonly used to indicate a range or a pause. The most common types of dashes are the en dash (–) and the em dash (—).

How do you use an em dash?

Em dashes are often used to set off parenthetical information. Using em dashes instead of parentheses puts the focus on the information between the em dashes. For this usage, make sure you use two em dashes. Use one before the parenthetical information and one after it.

What’s the difference between a hyphen and an em dash?

What does em dash mean in English?

The em dash (—) sets off a word or clause and adds emphasis. Or, it can signal an interruption (see our article on interrupting sentences for more on that!) or amplification (“expanding”) of an idea. It’s also the longest of the dashes (e.g., hyphen, en dash).

When can you use em dash?

The em dash can be used in place of a colon when you want to emphasize the conclusion of your sentence. The dash is less formal than the colon. After months of deliberation, the jurors reached a unanimous verdict⁠—guilty.

What is the difference between en and em dashes?

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 and with the meaning “to” in phrases like “Dover–Calais crossing.” The longer em dash (—) is used to separate extra information or mark a break in a sentence.

What are Em and en dashes?

En Dashes. En dashes (–) are longer than a hyphen but shorter than a regular (or em) dash. En dashes are used to: designate a range, such as inclusive page numbers, years, dates, and so forth. differentiate between campus locations of a university. hyphenate in open compounds.

What is Em and en dash?

En dash. The en dash (–) is slightly wider than the hyphen (-) but narrower than the em dash (—). The typical computer keyboard lacks a dedicated key for the en dash, though most word processors provide a means for its insertion.

When to use an em dash?

In place of a comma A lot of writers have adapted the em dash to suit their own purposes.

How to type an en dash?

To type the En Dash Symbol on Mac, press [ Option ] + [ – ] shortcut on your keyboard. For Windows users, simply press down the Alt key and type 0150 using the numeric keypad, then let go of the Alt key. These shortcuts can work on any software including MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, on both Windows and Mac.