Is there a difference between a dash and a hyphen?
A hyphen joins two or more words together while a dash separates words into parenthetical statements. The two are sometimes confused because they look so similar, but their usage is different. Hyphens are not separated by spaces, while a dash has a space on either side.
When should you use a dash as a punctuation mark?
Use dashes to mark the beginning and end of a series, which might otherwise get confused, with the rest of the sentence: Example: The three female characters—the wife, the nun, and the jockey—are the incarnation of excellence. Dashes are also used to mark the interruption of a sentence in dialogue: Example: “Help!
Are dash and hyphen the same key?
Alternatively known as a dash, subtract, negative, or minus sign, the hyphen ( – ) is a punctuation mark on the underscore key next to the “0” key on US keyboards. Pictured is an example of the hyphen and underscore key on top of the keyboard.
Is a dash grammatically correct?
Use dashes to set off an idea or an appositive within a sentence. A dash (—) is a punctuation mark used to set off an idea within a sentence and may be used alone or in pairs. Dashes interrupt a thought in a more dramatic way than a phrase enclosed in commas, but less theatrically than parentheses.
How do you use a dash and hyphen?
How do you write a dash instead of a hyphen?
If you find you need to type a dash, in Windows you create one by holding the Alt key and then typing 0150 on the numeric keypad. (You can learn to do this quickly and automatically, trust us!) On a Mac, press the ⌥ and – keys together.
What is a dash used for?
A dash is a horizontal line that shows a pause or break in meaning, or that represents missing words or letters. Note that dashes are rather informal and should be used carefully in writing. Dashes are often used informally instead of commas, colons and brackets. A dash may or may not have a space on either side of it.
Which list orders the punctuation marks from shortest to longest?
In classical rhetoric, punctuation was used to indicate where, and for how long, a speaker would pause during his or her speech. The length of the pause for particular punctuation marks varied, and the list in order of shortest to longest goes as such: a comma, a colon, and a period.
What is dash in punctuation?
A dash is a horizontal line that shows a pause or break in meaning, or that represents missing words or letters. Note that dashes are rather informal and should be used carefully in writing. Dashes are often used informally instead of commas, colons and brackets.
What is an example of dash?
Dashes replace otherwise mandatory punctuation, such as the commas after Iowa and 2020 in the following examples: Without dash: The man from Ames, Iowa, arrived. With dash: The man—he was from Ames, Iowa—arrived.
What is a dash mark?
The dash (—) is a mark of punctuation used to set off a word or phrase after an independent clause or a parenthetical remark (words, phrases, or clauses that interrupt a sentence). Don’t confuse the dash (—) with the hyphen (-): the dash is longer.
What is hyphen punctuation mark with examples?
A hyphen (-) is a punctuation mark used to join the separate parts of a compound word. A hyphen is a joiner. A hyphen is used: To join the words of a compound adjective (e.g., “five-page” document) To join the words of compound noun (e.g., “cooking-oil”)
What is the purpose of a dash in a sentence?
1. To set off material for emphasis. Think of dashes as the opposite of parentheses. Where parentheses indicate that the reader should put less emphasis on the enclosed material, dashes indicate that the reader should pay more attention to the material between the dashes.
Is whether it be grammatically correct?
Although it may sound foreign to the ear, the phrase “whether it be” is grammatically correct. It often describes conditional or imaginary situations, which is why it can be confusing, especially to an English second language speaker. The correct use of the phrase “whether it be” would be in a formal context.
How do you use dashes in writing?
What is the difference between a hyphen and a dash?
The hyphen (-), the shortest, is used to join multiple words that function together as a single concept, a.k.a. a compound word. The en dash (–), a hyphen with a growth spurt, is used to represent the words “to” or “through” when specifying a range.
What is a hyphen (-) punctuation?
A hyphen (-) is a punctuation mark that’s used to join words or parts of words. It’s not interchangeable with other types of dashes.
Do you put spaces between hyphens and dashes?
Typically, hyphens and dashes don’t have spaces on either side of them. But, some style guides do prefer spaces before and after the em dash. The most important thing to remember when writing with dashes is to be consistent.
Can you put a hyphen at the end of a line?
If you do need to split a word at the end of a line, it’s best to break the word between syllables. En dashes, which are about the width of an upper-case N, are often mistaken for hyphens. But, traditionally, en dashes function as a kind of super hyphen.