Dash Types

What Are Dashes?

Dashes are horizontal line punctuation marks that serve different typographic purposes. Unlike hyphens, which connect words, dashes separate phrases or indicate breaks in thought. Understanding the distinction between dash types is essential for professional typography.

The Three Main Dashes

Em Dash (—)

The em dash is the longest standard dash, traditionally the width of the letter "M" in a given typeface. It's used to create strong breaks in sentences, similar to parentheses or commas but with more emphasis.

Usage examples:

• Parenthetical statements: "The conference—which lasted three days—was enlightening."
• Abrupt changes in thought: "I was planning to call you—oh, never mind."
• Attribution: "Ask not what your country can do for you—John F. Kennedy"
• Lists: "The essentials—water, food, shelter—are fundamental to survival."

En Dash (–)

The en dash is shorter than an em dash but longer than a hyphen, traditionally the width of the letter "N". It primarily indicates ranges and connections.

Usage examples:

• Number ranges: "pages 10–25" or "2020–2023"
• Time ranges: "9:00–5:00 PM" or "Monday–Friday"
• Score ranges: "The final score was 21–14"
• Connecting compound adjectives: "The New York–London flight"

Hyphen (-)

The hyphen is the shortest dash, used to join words and separate syllables. It's the only dash available on standard keyboards.

Usage examples:

• Compound words: "mother-in-law" or "well-known"
• Word breaks: Breaking "extraordinary" as "extra-ordinary" at line end
• Prefixes: "re-enter" or "ex-president"
• Numbers: "twenty-five" or phone numbers "555-1234"

Specialized Dashes

Minus Sign (−)

The minus sign looks similar to a hyphen but is specifically designed for mathematical operations. It's slightly longer than a hyphen and aligns with other mathematical operators.

Usage: Mathematical equations (5 − 3 = 2) and negative numbers (−15°C)

Figure Dash (‒)

The figure dash is the same width as a digit (0–9) in proportional fonts, making it ideal for numerical ranges in tables.

Quotation Dash (―)

Also called a horizontal bar, this dash is used in some languages to mark dialogue instead of quotation marks.

Two-Em and Three-Em Dashes (⸺ ⸻)

Extra-long dashes used in specialized contexts like redacting text or indicating missing information in bibliographic citations.

Common Mistakes

Using Hyphens for Em Dashes

Many people type two hyphens (--) instead of an em dash. While acceptable in plain text, proper typography requires actual em dashes.

Wrong: The results--which were surprising--proved our hypothesis.

Right: The results—which were surprising—proved our hypothesis.

Confusing En Dashes with Hyphens

Ranges should use en dashes, not hyphens.

Wrong: 2020-2023

Right: 2020–2023

Spaces Around Dashes

In American English, em dashes typically have no spaces around them. British English sometimes uses spaced en dashes instead of em dashes. Be consistent within your document.

Keyboard Shortcuts

macOS

• Em dash (—): Option + Shift + Hyphen
• En dash (–): Option + Hyphen

Windows

• Em dash (—): Alt + 0151
• En dash (–): Alt + 0150

Microsoft Word

• Em dash: Type two hyphens and Word auto-converts to —
• En dash: Ctrl + Minus (on numeric keypad)

HTML Entities

For web development:

• — for — (em dash)
• – for – (en dash)
• − for − (minus sign)

Non-Breaking Hyphens

The non-breaking hyphen (‑) prevents line breaks at the hyphen. Use it in phone numbers, product codes, or any hyphenated term that should stay on one line.

Soft Hyphens

The soft hyphen (­) is an invisible character that suggests where a word can break if needed at line end. It only appears when the word needs to wrap.

Best Practices

• Use em dashes for parenthetical statements and interruptions
• Use en dashes for ranges and connections
• Use hyphens only for compound words and word breaks
• In math, use the minus sign (−) not a hyphen (-)
• Be consistent with spacing around dashes throughout your document
• Enable smart punctuation in your word processor for automatic dash conversion
• In URLs and file names, use hyphens (not underscores or other dashes)

Style Guide References

Different style guides have varying preferences:

• Chicago Manual of Style: Em dashes with no spaces
• AP Style: Em dashes with spaces on both sides
• Oxford Style: Spaced en dashes instead of em dashes
• MLA: Unspaced em dashes