The dash is a punctuation mark consisting of a long horizontal line.The most common versions are the en dash –, longer than the hyphen; the em dash —, longer than the en dash; and the horizontal bar ―, whose length varies across typefaces but tends to be between those of the en and em dashes.
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What is the dash symbol called?
em dash
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.
What does dash symbol means?
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.
What is a dash example?
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.
How do I type a dash symbol?
Hold down the Alt key, press 0 1 5 0 on the numeric pad, and then release the Alt key. The en dash will appear in the text field where your cursor is. Write an em dash. Hold down the Alt key, press 0 1 5 1 on the numeric pad, and then release the Alt key.
How do you use dashes?
Dashes
- To set off material for emphasis. Think of dashes as the opposite of parentheses.
- To indicate sentence introductions or conclusions.
- To mark “bonus phrases.” Phrases that add information or clarify but are not necessary to the meaning of a sentence are ordinarily set off with commas.
- To break up dialogue.
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.
Why is a dash called a tack?
According to a reddit.com post, this usage “originates as a navy term for flag signalling”: A tackline is a length of halyard approximately 6 feet long; the exact length depends upon the size of flags in use. The tackline is transmitted and spoken as tack and is written as a dash (hyphen) “-“.
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.
Can a dash replace a semicolon?
In informal writing, em dashes may replace commas, semicolons, colons, and parentheses to indicate added emphasis, an interruption, or an abrupt change of thought. Examples: You are the friend—the only friend—who offered to help me.A semicolon would be used here in formal writing.
What is a single dash?
option. The Single Dash. The single dash is normally a feature of informal English and is used, especially in narrative, to create suspense or to indicate that what follows is. an afterthought or something to be emphasised – There is was again, that creak on the staircase.
How do you make a dash?
Windows
- 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. Pretty simple, right?
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 (—).
Can you use dashes instead of commas?
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.
Does TAC mean DASH?
The tackline is transmitted and spoken as tack and is written as a dash (hyphen) “-“. It is used to avoid ambiguity. It separates signals or groups of numerals that, if not separated, could convey a different meaning from that intended.
What is hyphen in Linux?
A hyphen (used alone) generally signifies that input will be taken from stdin as opposed to a named file. ( it’s use, and any alternate use will be specified in the man page for each individual command) – David C. Rankin. Oct 25 ’16 at 1:33.
What is the DASH called in Linux?
When you’re using a shell command, it’s common to pass options to that command using dashes–which are also called hyphens. These options can be specified with either a single dash (-) or a double dash (–).
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 I create an em dash in word?
3. 1. Inserting an em-dash in Word
- For Mac: press “option+shift+hyphen key”.
- For desktop PC: press “alt+ctrl+minus” on the numeric keypad (the number section on the far right of your keyboard).
What kind of dash goes between dates?
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.