Dashing Around
Did you know there are 3 types of dashes: dash/hyphen(-), en dash(–), and em dash(—). Each is used for a certain set of scenarios according to the Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Ed.
This guide covers the most common usage of each dash; others exist. See the Chicago Manual of Style for a comprehensive discussion.
Dash/Hyphen
This is the common dash you get by pressing the dash key on your keyboard.
Names and words made of multiple words (compound words).
✓ The red-green device turned on.
✓ Martin Everson-Corey was about to have the best day of his life.
When spelling a word.
✓ It’s John, j-o-h-n.
En Dash
This is the least used dash. You can create it on a Windows machine by pressing the Ctrl button and the 10-key’s dash key.
The primary common usage of the en dash is to punctuate ranges
✓ He lived from 1953–2015.
Em Dash
This often used character is one of the least understood. To make it, press Ctrl+Alt and the 10-key’s dash key.
The em dash is used primarily in only a few areas.
To set off elements which explain or magnify, more for a dramatic insertion.
In this case, it sets off commas, parenthesis, or colons.
✓ Fifteen flowers—and exactly fifteen—are to be brought to the party tonight.
✓ Picking apples wasn’t fun—it was just plain work.
✓ The orchard had three kinds of apples—how many types of apples are there?—and I was going to eat one of each.
Interruptions in dialogue.
✓ “I won’t go to the—“, Josiah started.
“You’ll go wherever I tell you,” Mary insisted.
✓ “Well, let me see”—she rubbed her nails on her blouse, then blew on them—“if there’s anything I can do.”