How to use dashes correctly in your writing
- Stella Logan
- Nov 17, 2018
- 2 min read
Updated: Jan 10
Tiny lines, big impact. But which dash do you use — and when? Here's a quick guide.
As a proofreader who frequently reads other people's writing, a common punctuation error I pick up is the use of dashes. Several types of dashes are used in writing, and when it comes to which length to choose from, size does matter!
Here's what all the different dashes mean and how to use them correctly.
Hyphen (-)
The hyphen is the shortest dash and is identical to the minus sign. It's used to link together words, or parts of words, so that the meaning of a word/phrase is clearer. For example:
one-stop shop (What sort of shop is it? A one-stop shop. Without the hyphen, one stop shop might be interpreted as being a single shop selling stops?)
high-pressure system (As opposed to a high pressure system — a system that's situated above our heads?)
re-form (Meaning 'recreate'. Without the hyphen, the word reform takes on a different meaning: to 'make a change in an institution'.)
un-Australian, self-taught, well-known, anti-inflammatory (Combining prefixes with words)
African-American (Combining ethnic labels)
twenty-six, two-thirds (Combining numbers)
On your keyboard:
The hyphen is typically to the right of the number 0 key. Or simply press the Minus key on your numeric keypad — the hyphen and the minus sign are the same.
En dash (–)
The en dash is slightly longer than the hyphen and isn't found on your keyboard. However, do you notice sometimes when typing a hyphen mid-sentence in Word, the hyphen changes automatically to a longer dash? Yep, that's the en dash. It's used to show a range between numbers or values. For example:
The community hall will fit 150–200 people. So far, 70–80% of tickets have been sold.
On your keyboard:
In Windows, hold down the Alt key, then press the numbers 0150.
On a Mac, hold down the Option key, then press the Minus key.
Em dash (—)
The em dash is the longest of the dashes and is used to indicate a pause for added effect, emphasis, an added thought or a change in thought. For example:
The Great Barrier Reef — the most extensive coral reef system on Earth — is estimated to be wiped out by 2050. If a coral becomes stressed, it expels its symbiotic algae. Without this, the tissue of the coral animal appears transparent and the coral's white skeleton is revealed — hence the term 'coral bleaching'.
On your keyboard:
In Windows, hold down the Alt key, then press the numbers 0151.
On a Mac, hold down the Shift and Option keys, then press the Minus key.
Should you add spaces before and after an em dash?
Traditionally, em dashes are closed up—like this—especially in printed books. But in modern usage, particularly online and in Australian English, it's now generally standard to include a space on either side.
Hopefully, you now understand better how to use hyphens and dashes correctly. With these tips in your toolkit, you're ready to 'dash' through your writing!
Stella Logan is a freelance Australian copyeditor dedicated to improving everyday use of the English language — one dash at a time.
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