There is a distinct 2-em dash character which can be copied and pasted, but not all fonts support it.In MS Word on a PC, type 2e3a Alt x. If you're using the proper font (Times New Roman 12), the three dashes will make a solid line. Alternatively, press CTRL + ALT + minus key on the numeric keypad, three times. You can find the em dash in the symbol drop-down menu in Microsoft Word. ![]() Most keyboards don't have a key reserved for the en dash.Ĭreate a 3-em dash by entering the em dash three times or six hyphens. An en dash resembles a hyphen (-) but is slightly longer (–). En dash (–): Alt+0150.Īn en dash is a punctuation mark that is typically used to express ranges or to clarify more complex compound words. On a regular-size keyboard with a number keypad, I can use keyboard shortcuts to create em dashes and en dashes: Em dash (-): Alt+0151. It is used for any kind of ranges, typically. The en-dash is a bit longer than the hyphen its length is equal to the width of the letter n, whence the name. The em dash should be placed directly after the final word the speaker gets out before being interrupted (with no extra space) and inside the closing quotation mark. If you're on a Mac.Įm dashes (not to be confused with hyphens or ellipses) are used to indicate that a speaker has been interrupted mid-sentence by another character. And then type in zero one five one zero one five one when you let off of the ALT. Generally, using the em- dash makes the writing style more informal-as if you were writing to an old friend.Īnd then the minus key you can also go just hold the alt. The em-dash can be used to replace parentheses, colons, and commas. There are actually three different types of dashes: the em-dash, the en- dash, and the 3-em dash. Let's take a look at how these two dashes are used and explore some examples of when to use em dashes vs en dashes. Different situations require different types of dashes. The en dash (–) is shorter, taking up the same space as a capital N. The em dash (-) is the long dash-it's roughly the same length as a capital M. If you have a numeric keyboard, hold down the Alt key and type 0151 for an em dash or 0150 for an en dash. ![]() Few keyboards have a dash, but a word processor can usually produce one in one way or another. The dash (-), also called the em dash, is the long horizontal bar, much longer than a hyphen. Like a colon, an em dash introduces a clause that explains or expands upon something that precedes it. Like commas and parentheses, em dashes set off extra information, such as examples, explanatory or descriptive phrases, or supplemental facts. ![]() The em dash can function like a comma, a colon, or parenthesis. Figuratively speaking, the hyphen pulled the short end of the stick. Its alphabetical cousin, the en dash, is about the same width as the letter n. In fact, the em dash is named after its length-it's about the same width as the capital letter m. The shorter en dash (–) is used to mark ranges and with the meaning “to” in phrases like “Dover–Calais crossing.” The longer em dash (-) is used to separate extra information or mark a break in a sentence. The en dash is approximately the length of the letter N, and the em dash the length of the letter M.
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