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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!.
What is a dash example?
A dash (generally, an “em dash”) can be used to replace a colon to introduce an appositive. For example: She is only interested in one thing: money. She is only interested in one thing — money.
How do you use dashes in writing?
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 use a dash 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.
How do you use two dashes in a sentence?
Two dashes can emphasize a modifier. Words or phrases that describe a noun can be set off with dashes if you wish to emphasize them. Example: The fairgrounds—cold and wet in the October rain—were deserted. Example: Nettie—her chin held high—walked out into the storm.
How do you use dashes and hyphens?
The dash is often used after an independent clause. The hyphen, on the other hand, is used to join two words together like yellow-green. It usually does not have a space between the words. Also, the dash tends to be slightly longer than the hyphen, and usually would have spaces before and after the symbol.
How do you use dashes in dialogue?
The main things to remember are: Use an em dash if the speaker stops mid-word, in the same way as you’d use a hyphen. Put it inside the closing quotation marks. Use an em dash if the speaker’s able to complete a word, but someone or something stops them before they finish their thought.
What are dashes used for in poetry?
The dashes create an emphasis on parts of the sentence and take on the role of either commas or parentheses. When she uses the dashes as commas like the stanza from above it shifts the focus on the words that follow the dash, so the phrase “that oppresses” is meant to resonate with the reader.
What is dash in punctuation?
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. The most common types of dashes are the en dash (–) and the em dash (—).
Can you use a dash instead of a semicolon?
Semicolons and dashes are not interchangeable. Semicolons are used for basically two purposes: (a) To join two clauses that could each stand as an independent sentence, but which you want to tie together. Note that a semicolon should not be used this way if either clause could not stand as a complete sentence.
What does a dash mean after a word?
The dash (—) is a mark of punctuation used to set off a word or phrase after an independent clause or a parenthetical remark (words, phrases, or clauses that interrupt a sentence). “A dash is a mark of separation stronger than a comma, less formal than a colon, and more relaxed than parentheses.”May 30, 2019.
What are the different 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.
What does a dash mean in dialogue?
Dashes create urgency. Just like in narrative, dashes can be used in dialogue to set off clauses within sentences. But the most important use of dashes in dialogue is to show one speaker interrupting another.
How do you write conversation?
9 Tips for Writing Good Conversations Mimic the voices of people in your own life. Break up character conversations with narration. Know your grammar and punctuation. Give your main character a secret. Use a layperson character to clarify technical language. Use authentic shorthand.
What is a dash called in a poem?
Dickinson went a little jiggy with it, admittedly, but in poetry and prose alike, the dash is a freewheelin’ punctuation mark. The Parenthetical Dash can stand in for a pair of commas or parentheses. The Pause Dash can take the place of a period, comma, semicolon — or nothing at all!Oct 22, 2012.
Why do you think the author uses dashes?
It is often said that we use dashes to signal that something crucial is being added to a sentence and use parentheses to signal that the interruption is relatively unimportant (e.g., to give dates or citations or examples).
What is the effect of a dash?
Like a caesura (a timely pause) in music, a dash indicates a strong pause, then gives emphasis to material following the pause. In effect, a dash allows you to redefine what was just written, making it more explicit.
How do you use a dash for kids?
How are dashes used? insert a break in a sentence to replace brackets, a colon or a semi-colon. to extend a sentence and expand upon a previously-made point or clause. to show subordinate or additional information within a sentence.
How do you type a dash on a PC?
For desktop PC: press “alt+ctrl+minus” on the numeric keypad (the number section on the far right of your keyboard). The trick will not work if you press the hyphen-key on the typewriter section of the keyboard.
What is a hyphen vs dash?
A hyphen (-) is a punctuation mark that’s used to join words or parts of words. It’s not interchangeable with other types of dashes. 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 I insert a dash in Word?
Fortunately, there are three easy methods: Press [Ctrl]+[Alt]+-. Hold down the [Alt] key and type 0151 on the numeric keypad. Choose Symbol from the Insert menu, click the Special Characters tab, highlight the em dash, and click Insert.
