What is dash and examples?

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 (—).

Is the dash used correctly?

The em dash can be used in place of a colon when you want to emphasize the conclusion of your sentence. The dash is less formal than the colon. After months of deliberation, the jurors reached a unanimous verdict⁠—guilty.

How do you use an em dash example?

Use em dashes in place of commas or parentheses to create a break in a sentence. Examples: Please call my lawyer—Richard Smith—on Tuesday. This sentence could also be written with commas or parentheses.

How do I make an em dash?

To make an em dash, press and hold Alt, then type 0151.

What is the meaning of dash dash?

Dash is a verb that means to strike violently, to run quickly over a short distance, or to frustrate or ruin. Dash is also used as a noun to mean a small amount of something added to a mixture. Dash has many other senses as a verb and a noun. Dash can also mean to run very quickly over a short distance.

Where is the dash on the keyboard?

Press Option + Shift + Minus (that’s -, the key right next to 0 at the top of your keyboard). The em dash will appear immediately.

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.

What is the em dash symbol?

The em dash (—) sets off a word or clause and adds emphasis. Or, it can signal an interruption (see our article on interrupting sentences for more on that!) or amplification (“expanding”) of an idea. It’s also the longest of the dashes (e.g., hyphen, en dash).

What is the use of em dash?

The em dash can function like a comma, a colon, or parenthesis. 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.

How long is 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.

Is dash A abusive word?

Dash is a verb that means to strike violently, to run quickly over a short distance, or to frustrate or ruin. Dash is also used as a noun to mean a small amount of something added to a mixture. Dash can also mean to run very quickly over a short distance.

What’s the correct usage of a dash?

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 to use on the dash?

A dash can be used to insert a break in a sentence to replace: a colon (e.g., It depends on one thing – trust.) a semicolon (e.g., It depends on trust – it always has.) three dots used as a pause for effect (e.g., It needed – trust.)

When to use a dash in writing?

Dashes are used to show a range or in place of parentheses to show that information has been inserted into a sentence. Dashes are only used in informal writing; in academic and business writing, use parentheses, commas, or colons instead. Do not put a space before or after a dash.

How do you use dash in a sentence?

To properly use a dash in an English sentence, start by identifying which dash you should use. Use a longer em dash to join independent clauses with words, like and, but, as, or, and for. Place em dashes around non-essential information or a list in the middle of a sentence, like you would with commas.