The dash (—), also called the em dash, is the long horizontal bar, much longer than a hyphen. Few keyboards have a dash, but a word processor can usually produce one in one way or another. American usage, in contrast, uses two consecutive hyphens — like this (A).
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What do you call the long dash in a sentence?
em dash
The hyphen (-), the shortest of the three marks, is familiar (sometimes wretchedly so) to most writers. So is the em dash (—), more often called the long dash, or sometimes just the dash.
How do you type a long dash?
For an em-dash, hold down the Alt key and type 0151, then release the Alt key. That’s it! For an en-dash, hold down the Alt key and type 0150, then release the Alt key.
What does a long dash between words mean?
An em dash is most often used to indicate a pause in a sentence. It’s stronger than a comma, but weaker than a period or semicolon.
What is the longest dash?
The em-dash. The em-dash (“—”) is the longest dash in common use. It comes most commonly in pairs and has a function similar to parentheses (i.e. to break the flow of thoughts).
Why is it called an em dash?
The character is called an em dash because it is one em wide, a length that varies depending on the font size. One em is the same length as the font’s height (which is typically measured in points). So in 9-point type, an em dash is nine points wide, while in 24-point type the em dash is 24 points wide.
Where do you use the long 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.
How do I insert an em dash?
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.
How do you make a long dash in Google Docs?
While in a Google Doc on Chrome, on any laptop or desktop computer, go to Insert | Special Characters and type Em Dash in the search box. The first search result shown in the grid of characters will be the em dash; select it to insert it. You can also search, select, and insert an em dash (Figure A).
How do I make a long dash in Google Docs?
Press the em dash keyboard shortcut in Google Docs
Press the NumLock key. Open a Google Docs document to add the em dash to. Then hold the Alt key and type the code 0151 on the numeric keypad to add the em dash.
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 is the synonym of dash?
rush, race, run, sprint, bolt, dart, gallop, career, charge, shoot, hurtle, hare, bound, fly, speed, streak, zoom, plunge, dive, whisk, scurry, scuttle, scamper, scramble.
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!
What is a double dash called?
Em dashes — so called because they are (at least historically) the width of the character m — are used for emphasis or interruption. They can be used on their own or in pairs to offset a word or phrase:The double hyphen (–) is sometimes used in place of the em dash.
What is the length of a hyphen?
A hyphen is the shortest in length of the three. It is used to divide words that break at the end of a line, or to connect parts of compound words such as go-between, ill-fated and run-of-the-mill.
What’s longer than an em 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 is a lowercase dash called?
An en dash is a typographic dash that is as wide as a lowercase “n” character. These dashes are typically used to denote ranges of numbers, as in 3–7. You create an en dash by pressing Ctrl and the minus sign on the numeric keypad.
What is the difference between an em dash and a hyphen?
The most obvious difference is the length. Hyphens are shortest, followed by the en dash, and then the em dash. Fun fact: the en dash is the width of the letter “N”, while the em dash is the width of the letter “M”. A hyphen’s main job is to let the reader know that two or more words in a sentence are linked together.
What is an M dash?
The Em Dash: An Introduction
Like commas and parentheses, em dashes set off extra information, such as examples, explanatory or descriptive phrases, or supplemental facts. Like a colon, an em dash introduces a clause that explains or expands upon something that precedes it.
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.
What does an em dash look like?
It can add a spice—or a dash, if you will—to a sentence by adding emphasis to certain words and phrases. I am talking about the em-dash, which looks like two hyphens connected into one long line. Depending on the sentence, the em-dash can have a similar function to parentheses, colons, commas, and even semicolons.