How To Use Double Dashes

If you are looking to use a two word phrase as a descriptor or modifier you can use an en dash.

How to use double dashes. Turn on the num lock key by pressing fn numlk together. Two em dashes can be used to indicate missing portions of a word whether unknown or intentionally omitted. Many writers use a double hyphen in place of an em dash and you might have noticed that your word processor sometimes will automatically turn them into an 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. Dashes are used to separate groups of words not to separate parts of words like a hyphen does.

Locate the minus key on the laptop s numeric keypad. If you re copyediting electronically just do a global search and replace to convert all double hyphens to em dashes or vice versa if that s what the production editor wants you can create an em dash in microsoft office software among others by pressing ctrl alt on the number pad. If you are using a keyboard without a separate numeric keypad such as a mini laptop use the following instructions. Most word processors have shortcuts for creating en and em dashes. In most writing it s used to symbolize an abrupt change of thought and can be used in place of parenthesis.

Press ctrl alt plus this minus key to type the em dash into your word document. It would be worth your while to search your help menu to find out what they are. You create it by holding down option shift the minus key. I don t know for sure but i ve always been under the impression that double dashes are screenwriters trying to employ the em dash. The most common types of dashes are the en dash and the em dash.

J testified that the defendant yelled die a before pulling the trigger. Em en and the double hyphen.