10/7/2023 0 Comments Using m dash![]() This explanation is not intended to be exhaustive (for much more, see chapter 6 in CMOS), but I do hope that it helps to frame the different potential of each length of dash. In interrupted speech, one or two em dashes may be used: “I wasn’t trying to imply-” “Then just what were you trying to do?” Also, the em dash may serve as a sort of bullet point, as in this to-do list: For example, in a bibliographic list, rather than repeating the same author over and over again, three consecutive em dashes (also known as a 3-em dash) stand in for the author’s name. Its use or misuse for this purpose is a matter of taste, and subject to the effect on the writer’s or reader’s “ear.” Em dashes also substitute for something missing. It allows, in a manner similar to parentheses, an additional thought to be added within a sentence by sort of breaking away from that sentence-as I’ve done here. Now, that is a rather fussy use of the en dash that many people ignore, preferring the hyphen. In that example, “pre” is connected to the open compound “World War II” and therefore has to do a little extra work (to bridge the space between the two words it modifies-space that cannot be besmirched by hyphens because “World War II” is a proper noun). En dashes are also used to connect a prefix to a proper open compound: for example, pre–World War II. And in fact en dashes specify any kind of range, which is why they properly appear in indexes when a range of pages is cited (e.g., 147–48). The en dash connects things that are related to each other by distance, as in the May–September issue of a magazine it’s not a May-September issue, because June, July, and August are also ostensibly included in this range. The hyphen connects two things that are intimately related, usually words that function together as a single concept or work together as a joint modifier (e.g., tie-in, toll-free call, two-thirds). I frame it this way because the work they do is roughly related to their length (though I don’t think CMOS puts it this way outright). First of all, there are three lengths of what are all more or less dashes: hyphen (-), en dash (–), and em dash (-). I will try to condense the various bits of information scattered throughout CMOS. What is the difference in usage between an em dash and an en dash?Ī. I recommend sticking to a maximum of one em-dash or pair of em-dashes per paragraph, and no more than a handful per page.Q. Note that em-dashes create emphasis by forcing the reader to pause. To set up text snippets, visit System Preferences > Keyboard > Text. Hi Tom, Have a look at this: How to use the dash. Note that Macs and iOS devices have built-in text expansion. For example, when I type “emd” with aText running, those letters are immediately replaced by an em-dash. Use a text expansion program such as aText or PhraseExpress to create a text snippet that expands into an em-dash. Then, highlight “Em Dash” and click “Keyboard Shortcut.” In my version of Word, you can accomplish this by visiting Insert > Advanced Symbol > Special Characters. ![]() In Word or other text-editing programs, create a keyboard shortcut such as Ctrl + Alt + M that inserts an em-dash. In Microsoft Word, type a letter immediately followed by two hyphens and then another letter, as in “a-b.” The two hyphens should automatically expand into an em-dash. Here are three ways to create em-dashes (which are sometimes referred to simply as “dashes”): Sadly, keyboards do not normally include an em-dash key. ![]() I read War and Peace this summer - all 1,200 pages of it. Use em-dashes to add an afterthought to a sentence. This year’s 2Ls - many of whom have had their plans disrupted by COVID-19 - are even more concerned about grades than usual. Use em-dashes to set off a phrase that modifies or explains something in the middle of the sentence. (For this purpose, em-dashes are more emphatic than parentheses or commas.)įirst-year law students read judicial opinions as they read most other material - from beginning to end - but experienced lawyers often jump straight to the rule. Use an em-dash to set off and emphasize a parenthetical phrase. En-dashes are used primarily for numeric ranges (e.g., “March 15–20” and “pp. The em-dash ( - ) is particularly useful for this task.Īt the outset, you should learn to recognize the difference between em-dashes (-), en-dashes (–), and hyphens (-). Help the reader absorb information in manageable chunks by using punctuation to break the sentence into parts. When you are writing longer sentences, keep the reader’s short-term memory and mental energy in mind.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |