Tiny Grammar Cheatsheet: Hyphens, En, and Em Dashes
Hyphens ( - ) are the shortest and are used to: ‣ link elements in a compound word: dog-owner ‣ separate some affixes from the rest of the word: pre-election ‣ (sometimes) take the place of the en dash indicating range: pages 24-66 ‣ indicate stuttering or abrupt interruption: M-m-micheal? ‣ spell out a word letter for letter: I said we are c-l-o-s-e-d.
En Dashes ( – ) are shorter than em dashes. They indicate a range and could usually be replaced with "from" and "to": ✓ I lived in New York 2015–2020. ⭤ I lived in New York from 2015 to 2020. But: ✗ I lived in New York from 2015–2020.
Em Dashes ( — ) are longest. They are used: ‣ to call attention to the content they separate from the rest of the sentence and emphasize it ‣ in place of commas and parentheses: When he finally apologized—after four weeks of silence—she was no longer interested in hearing him out. ‣ 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 verdict—guilty. ‣ to summarize or note the common link in a list: Sweet, sour, salty, bitter—all tastes the cook loved to experiment with. ‣ to set off or introduce defining phrases and lists: The shop's selection of three flavors—strawberry, mint, and chocolate—was never enough variety. ‣ to indicate a new direction: I agree with you, but James—he felt otherwise. to indicate hesitation: Well, I think—Yeah, 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.
