How To Use Dashes As Commas

An em dash is made by typing two hyphens.

How to use dashes as commas. First the dash can be used where commas or parentheses might be used as an aside or interruption in the middle of a sentence. Here are a few examples of interrupters punctuated with commas. To create an en dash using a keyboard on a windows based system hold down the alt key and simultaneously type 0150. 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.

Examine these useful hyphen em dash and en dash examples. Sometimes it s just irresistible to include that additional information that we hope will make our meaning clearer or provide context. The en dash may also be used to indicate a connection between two words. Remember that the dash is considered more jarring than using commas or parentheses so consider which punctuation achieves the desired effect. Place em dashes around non essential information or a list in the middle of a sentence like you would with commas.

Use a dash to cut off dialogue. Let s start with those quiet parentheses. Consider brushing up on other commonly used punctuation marks in english grammar. Interrupters are usually punctuated with commas or em dashes on both sides of the word phrase or clause. Words and phrases between dashes are not generally part of the subject.

See the following examples. In general you can think of parentheses commas and dashes as a continuum of marks. Use an en dash when you need to connect terms that are already hyphenated or when you are using a two word phrase as a modifier. When a thought is left unfinished however a dash should be used instead. Joe and his trusty mutt was always welcome.

When the dash is used in this way it creates a compound adjective. For example i never said he began when typing a completed sentence a comma precedes the closing quotation mark and the attribution. American psychological association notes that you would use the en dash for. Dashes replace otherwise mandatory punctuation such as the commas after iowa and 2013 in the following examples. There are three types of dashes in writing used to convey different ideas in an engaging way.