If you occasionally need two hyphens instead of an em dash, you can press [Ctrl]+Z and Word will undo the em dash character and restore the hyphens. Like a comma “Product X can help you do stuff better—transforming the way you meet, greet, and treat your customers.” Uses of the em dash.

There’s even more explanation: If the break belongs to the surrounding sentence rather than to the quoted material, the em dashes must appear outside the quotation marks. Em dashes set apart parenthetical phrases or clauses in a sentence.In this use, em dashes are similar to commas and parentheses, but there are subtle differences.For example, em dashes are used when a parenthetical remark contains an internal comma or would otherwise sound awkward if enclosed by commas. Write it. En dash The en dash (–) is slightly wider than the hyphen (-) but narrower than the em dash (—).The typical computer keyboard lacks a dedicated key for the en dash, though most word processors provide a means for its insertion. An em dash or a pair of em dashes may indicate a sudden break in thought or sentence structure or an interruption in dialogue. ¶ It is the indispensable reference for writers, editors, proofreaders, indexers, copywriters, designers, and publishers, informing the editorial canon with sound, definitive advice. Figuring out whether to use an en dash, em dash, 2 em dashes, or even (gasp!) The hyphen, the em dash, and the en dash are all horizontal marks of varying lengths.Each functions differently from the others. Em dash typography Publications make varying style choices when it comes to rendering the em dash. Using the AutoFormat feature in Microsoft Word, you can create both an Em dash (—) and En dash (–) automatically by typing hyphens.Alternatively, you can insert these special characters using the Insert Symbol menu. Let's take a look at the different types of dashes and when to use these little punctuation marks.

Hyphen, en dash or em dash A hyphen (-) is used to connect two words that function as a particular concept, or when linked together form a particular modifier.

Unfortunately, the em-dash — and the en-dash (–) for that matter — is not popular enough to deserve its own place on the keyboard. Em dashes can indicate pauses or disruptions in dialogue.
How to Create an Em Dash or Hyphen The hyphen is easy enough to fin, since it’s right there near the top of your keyboard after the number zero. [Emphasis mine.] And an example: Some use the equivalent of three linked hyphens surrounded by a space on each side (like — this), and some omit the You can also copy and paste the dashes from another document, such as a web page, into your Word document. 1. If you don’t want to use parentheses or colons , you can substitute them with a long dash.

Q. ¶ … A. I will try to condense the various bits of information scattered throughout CMOS.First of all, there are three lengths of what are all more or less dashes: hyphen (-), en dash (–), and em dash (—). An em dash, or long dash, is used:.

En dash In ranges. The em dash can be a versatile addition to your punctuation toolbox, capable of taking the place of a comma, colon, or parentheses. What is the difference in usage between an em dash and an en dash? When you need more of a separation between words and phrases, though, you’ll need either an en dash or an em dash, depending on the context. A hyphen is also used to separate syllables of a word when there is a line break, though this was more prevalent when type was set by hand rather than electronically. If you’re wondering, yes, these are types of punctuation that are named after letters. When you need more of a separation between words and phrases, though, you’ll need either an en dash or an em dash, depending on the context. Learn how to use them in this video!