Search results
Jan 16, 2024 · Dashes and hyphens aren't interchangeable. Learn about the differences between the two and when to use each one to improve your writing.
Learn the subtle yet major differences between hyphens, em dashes, and en dashes. This guide includes examples of how to use all three.
What is the difference between a hyphen and a dash? Put simply, hyphens are joiners (e.g., a six-foot table). Dashes are separators (e.g., I know - we all know.). Em dashes are used like colons, semicolons, or commas. En dashes are used in ranges.
Mar 28, 2024 · The main difference between a hyphen and a dash lies in their usage and appearance. A hyphen (-) is shorter and connects words or parts of words, like in “mother-in-law” or “well-being.” It’s used to avoid confusion or create compound terms. On the other hand, a dash (—), which is longer, works differently.
May 18, 2023 · A dash is a little horizontal line that floats in the middle of a line of text (not at the bottom; that’s an underscore). It’s longer than a hyphen and is commonly used to indicate a range or a pause. Dashes are used to separate groups of words, not to separate parts of words like a hyphen does.
Jun 7, 2021 · The hyphen and the dash closely resemble each other, but each is a distinct punctuation mark with its own specific use.
Dashes. In formal writing, dashes have two common forms: the em dash and the en dash. The em dash primarily replaces commas, semicolons, colons, ellipses, and parentheses to indicate added emphasis, an interruption, or an abrupt change of thought. Examples. You are the friend—the only friend—who offered to help me. (The em dash replaces commas.)
Sep 17, 2023 · A dash is a horizontal line longer than a hyphen, and it serves different purposes in writing. There are two types of dashes: the em dash (—) and the en dash (–). Em Dash (—) The em dash is the longer dash and is used to: Indicate emphasis: It can emphasize a particular phrase or clause within a sentence.
Apr 8, 2021 · En-dashes. Hyphens. A hyphen is used to connect words in order to form a compound. It was also used commonly during the typewriter era to show that a word was broken at a carriage return, but that usage is rarely seen these days. Examples include: ten-year-old. merry-go-round. editor-in-chief. co-worker. e-book.
Hyphens are used to join two words together or to differentiate between similarly spelled words. This video helps learners differentiate between hyphens and dashes, provides concrete examples to support learners’ correct use of hyphens, and discusses how words gain and lose hyphens over time. Questions. Tips & Thanks. Want to join the conversation?
