Punctuation: Dashes: Abrupt Shifts, Parenthetical Information

Dashes: Adding Emphasis and Flair to Your Sentences

What is a dash (—)?

A dash is a punctuation mark that looks like a longer hyphen. We use it to add extra information, create dramatic pauses, or show a change in thought.

Types of Dashes

There are two main types of dashes:

• Em Dash (—): The longer dash, about the width of the letter “M.” This is the one we’ll focus on today.
• En Dash (–): A shorter dash, about the width of the letter “N.” It’s used mainly to show ranges of numbers or dates. (Example: 2010–2020)

Using Em Dashes

1. Abrupt Change in Thought or Sentence:

   • Example: I was walking down the street — oh no, it’s starting to rain!

2. Emphasis:

   • Dashes can be used like parentheses to set off extra information, but they make the information stand out more.

   • Example: My dog – the one with the floppy ears – loves to play fetch.

3. Summary or Restatement:

   • A dash can introduce a summary or restatement of what came before.

   • Example: Clean your room, finish your homework, practice your English – these are your tasks for today.

Important Things to Remember:

• Use dashes sparingly. Too many can make your writing confusing.
• Use spaces before and after the em dash.

Let’s Practice!

1. Add the Dashes: Put dashes where they belong in these sentences.

   • The party was a disaster the music was too loud and the food was terrible.
   • My favorite food sushi is a Japanese dish.
   • My favorite sports basketball soccer and tennis are all great exercise.

2. Correct the Mistakes:

   • The cat –the one with the white paws- is missing.
   • She said, —I’ll be there in five minutes—

Challenge!

Write a paragraph about your favorite hobby or activity. Use at least one em dash to add extra information or emphasis to your writing.