How To Use Dashes In A List
Dashes can be used for emphasis in several ways.
How to use dashes in a list. Use a longer em dash to join independent clauses with words like and but as or and for. A good way to remember the difference between these two dashes is to visualize the en dash as the length of the letter n and the em dash as the length of the letter m. When the list comes first it s better to use a dash to connect the list to the clause. It s an em dash before peter sellers and an en dash between 1925 and 1980 note. Its main use is to indicate a range of values e g.
A dash can be used to add emphasis at the beginning middle or end of a sentence. 78 85 a z or a connection e g. Use a dash to prepare for a list a restatement an amplification or a dramatic shift in tone or thought. Dashes add drama parentheses whisper. Dashes are used to separate groups of words not to separate parts of words like a hyphen does.
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. However you can also use spaced en dashes to set apart a few words in a sentence like this bit before resuming the original thought. Place em dashes around non essential information or a list in the middle of a sentence like you would with commas. To properly use a dash in an english sentence start by identifying which dash you should use. Em en and the double hyphen.
You have to use an em dash when crediting. Dashes are often used to signal an abrupt change in a sentence indicating that the reader should pay close attention to what comes next. People aged 18 21 a sequence e g. There used to be a real me but i had it surgically removed peter sellers 1925 1980 note. Do not overuse dashes or use them in place of other punctuation.
Using dashes to credit quotations you can use an em dash to credit a quote to someone. There are three forms of dashes. The vegetarian gasped in horror when he saw lining the wall of the cabin a collection of animal heads moose deer bears squirrels all dead. The most common types of dashes are the en dash and the em dash.