Dash
One of the punctuation marks is
the dash which is a horizontal line longer than a hyphen. A dash shows a pause
in meaning or indicates a range. A dash represents missing words or letters and
separates groups of words.
Types of Dashes
Typically, dashes are
categorized into two types em dashes and en dashes. If we set aside their
functions, the visual difference between the two types is their length. The
length of the en dash equals the length of the uppercase letter N and the
length of the em dash equals the length of the uppercase letter M.
En Dash
A dash that is used to show
ranges in numbers and dates and to clarify more complex compound words is
called the en dash. Its length is equal
to the length of the capital letter N.
- By Tuesday, you have to compose
50–60 pages.
- Part–time laborers work 4–5 hours per day.
Em dash
The em
dash is used alternatively as a comma, semi-colon, colon, or parentheses, and
to mark a sharp turn in thought. Its length is equal to the length of the
capital letter M.
- He goes to karate club—at 5:30 p.m.—every day.
The
question words—who, why, where, when, how, and what—are used to get
information.
- There are some beautiful places we will never forget—Islamabad, Bangkok, and Paris.
- If you don’t mind, I will invite—oh, leave it.
Use of Dashes
Dashes with Ranges
We use a dash between times and
dates to indicate ranges. En dash is used with ranges.
- I will visit them from 9:00 to 10:00.
- I will
visit them from 9:00–10:00.
- That project will be completed between June and August.
- That
project will be completed June–August.
Dashes in Compound Adjectives
One of
the uses of a dash is just like a hyphen. An en dash replaces a hyphen in
compound adjectives with two equal elements.
- The
Indian–Pakistan border
- The
China–Pakistan Economic Corridor
Dashes to Extend Sentences
We use em dashes to extend
sentences.
Using a Dash to Replace a Colon
A dash is an alternative to a
colon, so we use a dash to replace it with a colon. It offers more information
about something previously mentioned.
- It is our luck that we have two
things—freedom of speech and freedom of thought.
Use a Dash to Replace a Semicolon
We
can use a dash to replace the semicolon. To give a smoother transition between
two sentences, a dash can be used instead of the semicolon.
- I demanded hard work from my students—that is what I asked for.
Using a Dash to Replace Ellipses
We can
also use a dash to replace ellipses.
- I will see—the students.
A Dash as Parentheses
A
dash (em dash) is an alternative to parentheses. Parentheses are used for extra
information; similarly, we use a dash to replace parentheses.
- John—who has remained my class fellow—secured the highest in the last exam.
A Dash to Create Quotations
An
em dash can be used to credit a quotation.
- “There used to be a me, but I had it surgically removed—Peter Sellers (1925–1980)
Forming a Dash on a PC
Em
dash = Hold down the Alt key and type
0150 on the numeric key
En
dash = Alt key + 0151 and the numeric
key
