What are the rules for the use of dashes?

I wish you would … oh, never mind. I wish you would—oh, never mind. Rule 1. Words and phrases between dashes are not generally part of the subject. Example: Joe—and his trusty mutt—was always welcome. Rule 2. Dashes replace otherwise mandatory punctuation, such as the commas after Iowa and 2020 in the following examples:

Do you put a comma between a dash?

Words and phrases between dashes are not generally part of the subject. Example: Joe—and his trusty mutt—was always welcome. Rule 2. Dashes replace otherwise mandatory punctuation, such as the commas after Iowa and 2013 in the following examples: Without dash: The man from Ames, Iowa, arrived.

When do you put a hyphen after an em dash?

Note: When typing em-dashes, always put a space before and after the dash. When should you use a hyphen? Hyphens are not the same as dashes. They are used to make a connection between two words working as a unit, or when two words have a combined meaning.

Do you put a space before a dash in a sentence?

Most people like to see a dash (an en dash or an em dash) with a space before and after. For example: Skip — a guard dog for Bonds Ltd in Bury — hospitalized two burglars before returning to eat the steaks they had thrown him. However, it is possible to omit the spaces, especially with em dashes.

When do you put a dash in a sentence?

With dash: The Ames Sentinel— dated May 1, 2013—arrived in June. Rule 3. Some writers and publishers prefer spaces around dashes. Example: Joe — and his trusty mutt — was always welcome.

When to use an em dash or an en dash?

Note: You should use an em dash when crediting a quotation. An en dash or hyphen looks wrong. Most people like to see a dash (an en dash or an em dash) with a space before and after. For example: Skip — a guard dog for Bonds Ltd in Bury — hospitalized two burglars before returning to eat the steaks they had thrown him.

When do you put a hyphen after a dash?

Note: When typing em-dashes, always put a space before and after the dash. When should you use a hyphen? Hyphens are not the same as dashes. They are used to make a connection between two words working as a unit, or when two words have a combined meaning. These are known as compound words. Examples include “Mother-in-law” or “pick-me-up.”

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