Hyphen vs. en dash vs. em dash: What’s the difference? September 2017 Some people resort to using two hyphens to appropriate a dash (–), but this looks unprofessional.

Main Difference – Dash vs. Hyphen. This will not work using the numbers above the letters on the keyboard. © 2001-2020 EasyBib, a Chegg service. is he just an en dash with an attitude? This, however, merely speaks to the stylistic flexibility (and subjectivity) of some punctuation rules. “I love rules precisely because they make transgression possible.” ~François Camoin (“The Texture of Fiction”) A Stickler for Punctuation Rules? Josh Foster. Two or more words that have been combined to be understood as one. You can also select an em-dash using this method. But if (Windows-based) MS Word does not automatically create the correct dash for you, here’s what you can do: The visual difference between the hyphen, en dash, and em dash should be clear. ography since it was not in MLA or APA format. Ah, some of my (typography nut) favourite punctuation marks!

The visual difference between the hyphen, en dash, and em dash should be clear.

For tonight’s homework, read pages 35–50.

The Em dash is the longer version of the dash and it is the same length as the letter m. En dash is the shorter version of the dash and is the same length as the letter n. The Em dash is considered to be  the double length of en dash and is sometimes is known as the double dash. You use it when you need to indicate through (or to), as in these examples: Please note that you should not use an en dash to indicate to/through if the phrase starts with the words from or between. By continuing to use this site, you agree to the use of cookies.

The em dash is used to show a sudden break in thought that disrupts the sentence structure. She began to describe the incident, “I was just getting out of the car when he –” when her phone rang. Well, it could be, I suppose, but that’s likely not what the author intends.]. For example: She doesn’t love him – or so she says.→ En dash, She doesn’t love him—or so she says.→ Em dash. February 2019 use hyphens. April 2016 As the longest, it is used when you want to create great emphasis on a phrase. • / vs \

Difference Between Dash and Hyphen • Hyphen is smaller than a dash. [Hiking is one of my favorite pastimes. That is, without resorting to one of those system-wide macro programs, which seem creepy and overkill?

His areas of interest include Linux and open-source software along with cycling and other outdoor sports. However, it is very important to understand the difference between dash and hyphen, if you want to use the language correctly. Upload a paper to check for plagiarism against billions of sources and get advanced writing suggestions for clarity and style.

The en-dash can be created by pressing the option and dash keys at the same time on the Mac. difference between the en-dash and em-dash. On most keyboards, it’s located above the “P” key.

Text within parentheses usually provides additional information; the same is true of text within two em dashes. Thanks for the practical bit about how to create a dash on a keyboard, too. Dash and Hyphen are two punctuation marks that take the form of a small horizontal line.

(—) Dash is used to separate a sentence where there is an interruption that disrupts the flow.

If your word processor doesn't support this, then you will have to add the character under a special characters dialog. The em dash is used to separate a thought in a sentence. Some people resort to using two hyphens to appropriate a dash (--), but this looks unprofessional. March 2019 Hyphen Examples: half-baked, non-violent, twenty-seven.

To add an en-dash, you’ll need to go to insert>symbol> and select it from the list of symbols. kid-friendly restaurant, fashion-forward magazine, MLA in-text citation.

The en-dash is the shorter of the two. So, when do you use an en dash? He is the best for this job –  he has 20 years of experience – but I’m not sure whether he would accept this job.

We are sorry that this post was not useful for you! You explained it perfectly!. Anderson holds a Bachelor of Arts in English literature from the University of Nevada in Reno. [Mac: option + -] * The — is an em dash. In my opinion 2012 –– 2014 were the best years yet. In fact, it helps to think of the en dash, which is half the length of the em, as a variant of the hyphen. If you really want to keep these lines straight, read on. Great blog! Only use the numbers on the keypad to the right of your keyboard.

Only one person can help you now – Mr. Adams.

Under the username whatdevondiscovered, she nurtures an active community on Instagram that focuses on education, lifestyle and travel.

I’ve seen it shared dozens of times on social media, and I’ve probably even smiled at it. Remember: A hyphen’s job is to join words together which means when typed, there should never be a space on either side.

August 2016 December 2014

April 2014. Great blog!

One reason hyphens and dashes are confused is that only the hyphen has a designated key on the typical keyboard, but there is a way to create them all. The name “en dash” originates from the dash being the approximate width of an “n” in typographic units .

November 2016

You can automatically create an em-dash by typing two hyphens between two words in Microsoft Word. We only use Google Analytics cookies.

Everyone in my writing group does.

To be absolutely sure, use an up-to-date reference guide or dictionary.

Thank you, Denise. Many people have noted the contradictory nature of the two main aspects of my professional Read more…, Commas: Small but Potent I’ve previously written about the semicolon and its misuse.

The problem with that meme? It introduces a pause or an afterthought. The Dash. Home > Writing > What’s the Difference Between a Hyphen and a Dash? We use cookies on our website to monitor usage and for no other purposes. Hyphens and dashes may look similar, but if you can master their subtle differences you are well on your way to defining your own writing style. The en dash should always have a spacing before and after while the em dash should never have a spacing before or after.

Many grammarians follow the belief that the em dash is used too freely and that instead the semi-colon should be more carefully considered when writing.

To begin, a hyphen (-) is shorter than a dash (–). Don’t get me wrong. My dog, a beautiful bichon mix named Rosie, likes to sunbathe on warm, sunny days.

I’m here to help. • this vertical line: | The em dash and the hyphen ARE NOT the same thing at all. What’s the difference between a hyphen and a dash? You need to press the shift-option and the minus key to create the em-dash. Here they mark off information or ideas that are not essential to understand the rest of the sentence. This website explains the difference between the en-dash and em-dash.

Hyphen: Hyphen is used to join two or more words. We also use hyphens  when we are talking about numbers. December 2016 The hyphen is used to combine two compound words together or to connect non-continuing numbers such as telephone numbers. A quick online search will help you find the right solution for your writing tools. For example, words like over-the-counter, merry-go-around, daughter-in-law, sugar-free, up-to-date etc.

[Author’s note: Unfortunately, the blog platform (or perhaps the font being used) does not create as long of an em dash as I would like—I would prefer it to be more exaggerated for the purposes of explanation. The en-dash and em-dash are similar but have slight differences. Type these on the computer using the dash key and you will see. But spaces should not be used before or after an em dash.

The en dash, or "n" dash, is called so because it was traditionally the length of an "n" while the em dash, or "m" dash, was the length of an "m" on a typewriter. It's the width of a lowercase 'n'.

A mark of punctuation that joins words, or word parts, together.

What is the difference between a dash and a hyphen? kid-friendly restaurant, fashion-forward magazine, Now that you have dashes and hyphens down, review your paper for other grammatical points with the EasyBib Plus, , and other potential issues.

This may even be the first time you’ve heard that there are actually two types of dashes: an en dash (–) and an em dash (—).  −  Words that are joined together to describe the noun that follows. In any case, it should be clear that hyphens (or lack thereof) can affect meaning; using them correctly adds clarity and contributes to overall readability.

Yes, but how can you enter an em-dash on one of the ever-more-popular “TKL” (number pad-less) boards?

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Reply. A hyphen is a pretty simple mark to insert into a document.

August 2017 June 2016

Refer to the following examples: When using the word between, an and should be used, as in this example: An em dash can be used much like parentheses. Non-hyphenated does not require a hyphen. The Hyphen is usually easy to find on the keyboard, but this website tells also you how to find the dash on the keyboard.

[Note: If using a Mac, there are different keyboard sequences to use.]. For some, tapping the minus sign twice and hitting the space bar is enough, while others require a combination of the shift, control and option keys.

A mark of punctuation that indicates a non-essential phrase in a sentence. The comma is yet another punctuation mark that begs for understanding.

Currently, her expertise lies in social media. Visually, a dash is longer than a hyphen. For example: re-creation versus recreation. My English teacher took points off my bibli-.

Now that you have dashes and hyphens down, review your paper for other grammatical points with the EasyBib Plus essay checker! Check for spelling, subject-verb agreement, and other potential issues.

So, many people do not bother to pay attention to their correct usage. To make a dash on the keyboard, you still use the key to the right of the zero, but it’s a little more complicated. Em dash is just one of them. The Dash is the longer line used as punctuation in sentences – coming in between words (as in this sentence). So, while prefixes (e.g., re- or non-) don’t generally require hyphens, there may be some cases where a hyphen is needed after a prefix for clarity.

], Hiking is one of my favorite forms of re-creation.

Thanks for the practical bit about how to create a dash on a keyboard, too. Thanks for this. Re-creation means creating again; recreation refers to a leisure activity. Sometimes people write -- instead. After I baked the cakes—twelve in total—the client cancelled the order.

When there are two independent clauses, I’d prefer a semicolon. I’m at the beach and have a good book to read; this is what summer is all about. The en dash is used to connect continuing numbers, dates, times, etc. Thank you so much!!! Creating a dash is slightly more complicated and varies between word processing programs. The hyphen and en dash are relatively the same size and are located to the right of the zero on most standard U.S. keyboard layouts.