Home
>
When do I use a dash?

Pricing

Starter
Rs.2999
25 to 30 Sessions, Validity - 30 days
Buy Now
  • Basics of spoken English
  • 1:1 practice sessions for fluency
  • App (unlimited offline practice)
  • Extempore
  • Group Discussion
    Mock Interviews (on demand & chargeable)

Super Value

Unlimited
Rs.4999
75 to 90 Sessions, Validity - 90 days
Buy now
  • Basics of spoken English
  • 1:1 practice sessions for fluency
  • App (unlimited offline practice)
  • Extempore
  • Group Discussion
    Mock Interviews (on demand & chargeable)
first step is to find out all the problems in your communication skills
Book your test for Rs. 99/- only

When do I use a dash?

Use dashes to mark the beginning and end of a series, which might otherwise get confused, with the rest of the sentence: Example: The three female characters—the wife, the nun, and the jockey—are the incarnation of excellence.
Introduction

An underscore is used at the bottom of a line of text; a dash is a little horizontal line that floats in the centre. It is used to denote a range or pause and is longer than a hyphen. Dashes are used to divide word groupings rather than individual words like a hyphen would. (Read more about how a dash and a hyphen vary here.) The em, en, and double hyphen are the three different dash styles. The en dash (-) and the em dash (—) are the two most popular dash kinds. Envisioning the en dash as the length of the letter N and the em dash as the length of the letter M can help you recall the differences between these two dashes. These dashes differ not just in length but also in the purpose they perform inside a phrase.

How to use?

The en dash is often used to indicate spans of time or ranges of numbers. In this context, the dash should be interpreted as meaning either “to” or “through.” Consider the examples below:

The teacher assigned pages 101–181 for tonight’s reading material.

The scheduled window for the cable installation is 1:00–3:00pm.

The 2015–2016 fiscal year was the most profitable year for the new business.

Using the en dash to indicate a connection

The en dash may also be used to indicate a connection between two words. Use an en dash when you need to connect terms that are already hyphenated or when you are using a two-word phrase as a modifier. When the dash is used in this way, it creates a compound adjective. See the following examples:

The pro-choice–pro-life argument is always a heated one.

The Nobel Prize–winning author will be reading from her book at the library tonight.

Conclusion

The en dash (-) and the em dash (—) are the two most popular dash kinds. Envisioning the en dash as the length of the letter N and the em dash as the length of the letter M can help you recall the differences between these two dashes. These dashes differ not just in length but also in the purpose they perform inside a phrase. You can also download our app from the playstore or visit our website.

Be a Fluent English Speaker

for your office meetings, presentations, job interviews or IELTS

Live 1:1 practice, GD, Extempore & Mock Interviews under expert guidance, trusted by over 100,000+ users worldwide, loved by IIT & IAM alumni

first step is to find out all the problems in your communication skills
Book your test for Rs. 29/- only