Why do you use dashes between words?
Hyphens’ main purpose is to glue words together. They notify the reader that two or more elements in a sentence are linked. Although there are rules and customs governing hyphens, there are also situations when writers must decide whether to add them for clarity.
What is a dash punctuation examples?
Dashes replace otherwise mandatory punctuation, such as the commas after Iowa and 2013 in the following examples: Without dash: The man from Ames, Iowa, arrived. With dash: The manhe was from Ames, Iowaarrived. Without dash: The , edition of the Ames Sentinel arrived in June.
When should I use an en dash?
The en dash is used to represent a span or range of numbers, dates, or time. There should be no space between the en dash and the adjacent material. Depending on the context, the en dash is read as “to” or “through.” The 2010–2011 season was our best yet.
What is en rule?
Meaning of en rule in English An en rule is about double the length of a hyphen. En rules are used to mean “to” in such phrases as: 1914–18. Em rules are separating signals whereas en rules are joining signals.
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.
Can an em dash start a line?
Em dashes can end or start a line. In most text typefaces, em dashes have no side bearings, which make them appear very close to the words they separate. Note: An en dash flanked by word spaces isn’t a good substitute for an em dash.
Can an em dash replace a semicolon?
Use an em dash sparingly in formal writing. 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: A semicolon would be used here in formal writing.
How do you make a dash on a keyboard?
3. 1. Inserting an em-dash in WordFor 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).
How do I insert a dash in an empty cell in Excel?
Type a hyphen in the formula bar, press and hold the Ctrl key, press Enter. Select the whole sheet, or your selected range. Check it out this will not replace ” ” ie a space, and if a macro has left traces then the used range might be larger than you think. 12,744 dashes added, thanks everybody!