What is an example of a dash used in a sentence?

A dash can be used to replace a colon that offers more information about something previously mentioned in the sentence. For example: She demanded just one thing from her students: effort. She demanded just one thing from her students — effort.

Can a dash be used with a comma?

The em dash is perhaps the most versatile punctuation mark. Depending on the context, the em dash can take the place of commas, parentheses, or colons⁠—in each case to slightly different effect. Notwithstanding its versatility, the em dash is best limited to two appearances per sentence.

What is the example of dash?

The dash can take the place of commas, parenthesis or colons, producing different effects. For instance, it can replace commas, to create an emphasis which the commas miss, You are the friend, the only friend, who stood by me. You are the friend- the only friend -¬ who stood by me.

When to use dashes instead of commas in a sentence?

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 are the different types of dashes in a sentence?

The most common types of dashes are the en dash (–) and the em dash (-). A good way to remember the difference between these two dashes is to visualize the en dash as the length of the letter N and the em dash as the length of the letter M. These dashes not only differ in length; they also serve different functions within a sentence.

When to use a colon or a dash in a sentence?

They are more formal than dashes. However, em dashes are more emphatic than colons. When you want to generate strong emotion in your writing or create a more casual tone, use em dashes. Compare these sentences: He is afraid of two things: spiders and senior prom.

Do you use semicolons or em dashes in a sentence?

Yes, we’re still mainly talking about em dashes and not semicolons; apologies for any confusion. There’s obviously a lot going on in this sentence, of which the humble em dashes are only a small part.