Tiny Grammar Cheatsheet: Hyphens, En, and Em Dashes
Hyphens ( - ) are the shortest and are used to: ā£ link elements in a compound word: dog-owner ā£ separate some affixes from the rest of the word: pre-election ā£ (sometimes) take the place of the en dash indicating range: pages 24-66 ā£ indicate stuttering or abrupt interruption: M-m-micheal? ā£ spell out a word letter for letter: I said we are c-l-o-s-e-d.
En Dashes ( ā ) are shorter than em dashes. They indicate a range and could usually be replaced with "from" and "to": ā I lived in New York 2015ā2020. ā¤ I lived in New York from 2015 to 2020. But: ā I lived in New York from 2015ā2020.
Em Dashes ( ā ) are longest. They are used: ā£ to call attention to the content they separate from the rest of the sentence and emphasize it ā£ in place of commas and parentheses: When he finally apologizedāafter four weeks of silenceāshe was no longer interested in hearing him out. ā£ in place of a colon, especially to summarize, explain, or expand upon the preceding clause in a dramatic manner: After months of deliberation, the jurors reached a unanimous verdictāguilty. ā£ to summarize or note the common link in a list: Sweet, sour, salty, bitterāall tastes the cook loved to experiment with. ā£ to set off or introduce defining phrases and lists: The shop's selection of three flavorsāstrawberry, mint, and chocolateāwas never enough variety. ā£ to indicate a new direction: I agree with you, but Jamesāhe felt otherwise. to indicate hesitation: Well, I thinkāYeah, I guess it is concerning.
Fun Fact: en dashes received their name because the dash is the length of the letter N, while the em dash is the length of the letter M.
