How To Use A Pair Of Dashes In A Sentence

The name em indicates that the dash is roughly the size of the letter m.

How to use a pair of dashes in a sentence. In other words if you want to include information that is not absolutely necessary in forming a complete sentence but that is important to the idea you are communicating introduce this information into the main sentence between dashes. To set off parenthetical material that you want to emphasize. A dash is a little horizontal line that floats in the middle of a line of text not at the bottom. If you want to include the parenthetical content more subtly use parentheses. Dashes are considered less formal than parentheses.

The five of us already unashamedly drunk entered the party amidst much pomp and fanfare. Generally speaking the dash does not have a unique role. Dashes are often used to signal an abrupt change in a sentence. It s longer than a hyphen and is commonly used to indicate a range or a pause. A pair of em dashes can replace a pair of parentheses.

Because this kind of series serves as a dramatic interruption within the sentence and may even have commas you must use the dash before it and after it. An em dash is used to indicate a break in a sentence or question. To properly use a dash in an english sentence start by identifying which dash you should use. An em dash also called a long dash or thick dash is approximately the width of the letter m which is where it earns its name. It s a technique that can be useful in writing an appellate brief where lengthy and complex sentences are not uncommon.

Place em dashes around non essential information or a list in the middle of a sentence like you would with commas. Note that when dashes are used in place of parentheses surrounding punctuation should be omitted. Rather than placing parentheses around a phrase within a statement writers can opt to surround the phrase with an em dash on either end. Dashes are used to separate groups of words not to separate parts of words like a hyphen does. When used as parentheses dashes are alternatives to brackets or commas.

A pair of em dashes can enclose a phrase clause or word mid sentence in the same manner as a pair of commas or parentheses but as stated by mark tredinnick the effect is unique placing emphasis on the isolated parenthetic expression. It is usually used as an alternative to another type of punctuation. Dashes have three uses. Use a longer em dash to join independent clauses with words like and but as or and for. Use an internal series of appositives or modifiers enclosed by a pair of dashes appositives will rename and modifiers will describe something named elsewhere in the sentence.