Should I use an em dash or an en dash?
The shorter en dash (–) is used to mark ranges and with the meaning “to” in phrases like “Dover–Calais crossing.” The longer em dash (—) is used to separate extra information or mark a break in a sentence.
Does AP use em dash?
When used in this fashion, it should not have spaces on either side. The AP, however, doesn’t use the en dash at all. Instead, they use only the em dash (see below for more on THAT variation).
How do you use dashes in AP style?
A: AP uses dashes, not bullets, for lists in news stories that follow a colon. After each dash, capitalize the first letter and use periods at the end of each section.
Can you use dashes in titles?
Yes, you can use an em dash in titles. But the more customary practice is to use a colon.
What can I use instead of an em dash?
Many word processors will automatically insert an em dash when you type a pair of hyphens. Otherwise, look for an “insert symbol” command. If you are using a typewriter, a pair of hyphens is the closest you can get to an em dash.
Can you use em dash in formal writing?
Em Dash: An em dash is the width of an m. Use an em dash sparingly in formal writing. In informal writing, em dashes may replace commas, semicolons, colons, and parentheses to indicate added emphasis, an interruption, or an abrupt change of thought.
Should em dashes have spaces AP style?
The em dash is typically used without spaces on either side, and that is the style used in this guide. Most newspapers, however, set the em dash off with a single space on each side. Most newspapers — and all that follow AP style — insert a space before and after the em dash.
Do you put spaces around em dashes AP style?
Every style guide I checked, except the AP Stylebook, stated there should be no spaces between an em-dash and the adjacent words. That means it is a style choice. If you’re writing for a newspaper, magazine, or website that uses Associated Press style, put in the spaces. Otherwise, leave them out.
What is closed em dash?
Dashes that indicate end-of-line interruptions. To indicate that a speaking character has been interrupted, use a CLOSED-UP EM DASH, whether you’re publishing in US or UK English.
What does a dash on a title mean?
Although colons and dashes are often interchangeable, in this case the extra piece could be considered a ‘title’ or ‘definition’ of what went before. Dashes are usually used for extra information. Also, if you look at article titles (in anything I read), they use a colon.
How do you use em dash in a sentence?
The em dash can be used in place of a colon when you want to emphasize the conclusion of your sentence. The dash is less formal than the colon. After months of deliberation, the jurors reached a unanimous verdict—guilty. The white sand, the warm water, the sparkling sun—this is what brought them to Fiji.
Is there a space between em dashes in AP style?
There should be no space on either side of it. In AP style, there is no such thing as an em dash. Instead, AP style uses the en dash for this use, and puts one space before and after it. Example: Begin the new year—your best one yet—with positive, fresh energy.
What is the difference between an em dash and an en dash?
The longer em dash (—) is used to separate extra information or mark a break in a sentence. The en dash is sometimes also used in the same way as an em dash; in this case, it takes a space on either side.
What is the difference between a dash and a hyphen?
There’s much more that could be written to fully explain the difference between hyphens and dashes. But the biggest difference between the em dash vs. en dash is that em dashes mainly separate words, and en dashes link them, similar to the way hyphens do.
What is the most common type of dash in English?
While we said above that the em dash, also called the “common dash,” is the most common of the true dashes, hyphens show up more frequently in text. They have a variety of uses. Hyphens are used to link elements in compound words.