En & Em

My first experience with the plethora of available dash types was when my company’s copy-editor used to routinely throw pens at me when I’d incorrectly use dashes (Hi Sharon!). The scars have healed (mental and physical) and my clothes have been dry cleaned but the lessons have remained. Let’s get down and dirty on the usage types and avoid the dash drama.

Here’s how to do the dash dance:

1. Hyphens: Not dashes. They are punctuation marks used for separating compound words.
2. En Dashes: Are used for showing a range of values. Like what you see between numbers (i.e. ...between 18 – 24 miles)
3. Em Dashes: Are used for separating abrupt elements in a sentence

Hyphens

Hyphens are punctuation marks used to separate compound words. Now that you know the true nature of what a hyphen is, please help get the word out and become a dash snob.

Usage:
Vice-President

En Dash

En dashes are used to represent a separate range of values. The name is from how typographers based the length of the dash to the length of a “N”. Despite recent outcry to name it “En-Deezy” and the like, the classic moniker has been retained. No, that didn’t happen although I wish it did.

Usage:
The Yankees beat Boston 4-2

Em Dash

Em dashes are used to separate elements in a sentence that are abrupt. Like it’s brother, it is also derived from the length of a “M” and named accordingly. I refrained from the rap lingo this time.

Em dashes can be used to separate elements mid-sentence as the info is pertinent to the understanding but abrupt.

Usage:
Ana likes to use her favorite spice — cinnamon — in new and exciting ways.

Em dashes are also often used to finish a sentence with useful, but abrupt information to efficiently conclude that thought.

Usage:
Robert enjoys eating his favorite food on his day off — Burritos.

Conclusion

If you’re particular about semantic code usage, extend those same thoughts to your copy. Dash usage is straight forward and easy to grasp. Channel your inner copy editor and become a dash snob to add that extra polish to your writing.