Mastering the Dash: A Comprehensive Guide to Typing En Dashes, Em Dashes, and More
Dashes, those unassuming horizontal lines, play a surprisingly crucial role in effective writing. They add nuance, clarity, and stylistic flair that a simple hyphen or comma simply cannot replicate. However, many writers are unaware of the different types of dashes and, more importantly, how to type them correctly. This comprehensive guide will demystify the world of dashes, covering everything from the basic en dash to the more emphatic em dash, and provide you with detailed, step-by-step instructions on how to type them on various operating systems and platforms.
## Why Dashes Matter
Before we delve into the technical aspects of typing dashes, let’s briefly discuss why they are important. Dashes are more than just stylistic preferences; they serve specific grammatical functions. Using the wrong type of dash, or using it incorrectly, can alter the meaning of your sentence and potentially confuse your readers.
* **Clarity and Emphasis:** Dashes can set off parenthetical information, similar to commas or parentheses, but with a stronger emphasis. They draw the reader’s attention to the inserted phrase or clause.
* **Breaks in Thought:** Dashes can indicate a sudden break in thought or a change in direction, adding a dramatic or conversational tone.
* **Ranges and Connections:** En dashes are specifically used to indicate ranges of numbers, dates, or times, and to connect related words or concepts.
* **Attribution:** Em dashes are often used to attribute quotes, especially in informal writing.
## The Different Types of Dashes
There are three main types of dashes you need to know about:
1. **Hyphen (-):** The shortest of the three, the hyphen is primarily used to join words together, creating compound words (e.g., well-being, state-of-the-art) or dividing words at the end of a line.
2. **En Dash (–):** Slightly longer than a hyphen, the en dash is used to indicate ranges (e.g., 2010–2020, pages 100–150), connections between related items (e.g., the New York–London flight, the Republican–Democrat debate), and as a substitute for “to” or “through.” It’s about the width of the letter “n.” A common, although not always strictly grammatically correct, use of the en dash is to set off parenthetical information, especially when the sentence already contains commas.
3. **Em Dash (—):** The longest of the three, the em dash is used to set off parenthetical information, indicate a sudden break in thought, or add emphasis. It’s about the width of the letter “m.” It’s the most versatile and often the most impactful of the dashes. Some style guides prefer a space on either side of the em dash (spaced em dash), while others prefer it without spaces (unspaced em dash).
## Typing Dashes: A Step-by-Step Guide
Now that you understand the purpose of each type of dash, let’s get down to the practical part: typing them. The methods vary depending on your operating system, word processor, and keyboard layout. We’ll cover the most common scenarios.
### 1. Typing Dashes on Windows
Windows offers several ways to type en dashes and em dashes, including using Alt codes and character maps.
#### Method 1: Using Alt Codes
Alt codes are numerical shortcuts that you can use to type special characters by holding down the Alt key and typing a specific number sequence on the numeric keypad (the number pad on the right side of your keyboard). *This method only works if you have a numeric keypad.*
* **En Dash (–):**
1. Make sure Num Lock is on.
2. Hold down the **Alt** key.
3. Type **0150** on the numeric keypad.
4. Release the **Alt** key. The en dash (–) will appear.
* **Em Dash (—):**
1. Make sure Num Lock is on.
2. Hold down the **Alt** key.
3. Type **0151** on the numeric keypad.
4. Release the **Alt** key. The em dash (—) will appear.
#### Method 2: Using Character Map
Character Map is a built-in Windows utility that allows you to select and copy any character available in your installed fonts.
1. **Open Character Map:**
* Press the **Windows key**, type **Character Map**, and press **Enter**.
* Alternatively, you can find it under **Windows Accessories** in the Start Menu.
2. **Find the En Dash and Em Dash:**
* In the Character Map window, select a font from the dropdown menu (e.g., Arial, Times New Roman). Make sure you select a font that contains extended characters.
* Scroll through the character list or use the **Search** box to find the **En Dash (–)** and **Em Dash (—)**.
3. **Copy and Paste:**
* Click on the desired dash to select it.
* Click the **Select** button.
* Click the **Copy** button.
* Paste the dash into your document.
#### Method 3: Using Microsoft Word AutoCorrect
Microsoft Word has a built-in AutoCorrect feature that can automatically replace certain character combinations with dashes.
* **En Dash (–):** Type a word, a space, a hyphen, a space, and another word (e.g., word – word). Word will automatically replace ” – ” with an en dash (–).
* **Em Dash (—):** Type two hyphens in a row (–) between two words. Word will automatically replace “–” with an em dash (—).
#### Method 4: Using the Insert Symbol Option in Microsoft Word
This method allows you to find and insert both the en dash and em dash directly from the Symbol menu within Word.
1. **Open Microsoft Word.**
2. **Click on the “Insert” tab** in the Word ribbon.
3. **Click on “Symbol”** in the Symbols group on the far right.
4. **Select “More Symbols…”** at the bottom of the dropdown menu.
5. **In the Symbol dialog box:**
* Ensure the “Symbols” tab is selected.
* Select the font you are using in your document from the “Font” dropdown menu (e.g., Times New Roman, Arial).
* In the “Subset” dropdown menu, choose “Basic Latin” or “General Punctuation.” You may need to experiment to find where your desired dash is located within the symbol set.
* **Scroll through the symbols** until you locate the En Dash (–) and the Em Dash (—).
* **Click on the desired dash** to select it.
* **Click the “Insert” button.** This will insert the dash into your document at the current cursor position.
* **Click the “Close” button** to close the Symbol dialog box.
### 2. Typing Dashes on macOS
macOS offers simpler and more intuitive ways to type en dashes and em dashes compared to Windows.
#### Method 1: Using Keyboard Shortcuts
macOS provides convenient keyboard shortcuts for both en dashes and em dashes.
* **En Dash (–):** Press **Option (⌥) + Hyphen (-)**.
* **Em Dash (—):** Press **Shift (⇧) + Option (⌥) + Hyphen (-)**.
These shortcuts work consistently across most macOS applications, including TextEdit, Pages, and web browsers.
#### Method 2: Using Character Viewer
Character Viewer (formerly known as Character Palette) is a built-in macOS utility that allows you to access and insert special characters.
1. **Open Character Viewer:**
* Click on the **Edit** menu in the application you’re using (e.g., TextEdit, Pages).
* Select **Emoji & Symbols** (or **Special Characters** in older macOS versions).
* Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut **Control (⌃) + Command (⌘) + Spacebar**.
2. **Find the En Dash and Em Dash:**
* In the Character Viewer window, use the **Search** box to type “en dash” or “em dash.” Alternatively, browse through the categories (e.g., Punctuation) to find them.
3. **Insert the Dash:**
* Double-click on the desired dash to insert it into your document.
#### Method 3: Text Replacement
macOS allows you to set up text replacements, so you can type a specific sequence of characters and have it automatically replaced with an en dash or em dash.
1. **Open System Preferences:**
* Click on the **Apple menu** and select **System Preferences**.
2. **Go to Keyboard:**
* Click on **Keyboard**.
3. **Select Text:**
* Click on the **Text** tab.
4. **Add a Replacement:**
* Click the **+** button to add a new replacement.
* In the **Replace** column, type the text you want to use as the trigger (e.g., –e for en dash, –m for em dash).
* In the **With** column, type or paste the en dash (–) or em dash (—) that you want to replace the trigger with. You can copy and paste these from Character Viewer.
5. **Close System Preferences.**
Now, whenever you type your chosen trigger (e.g., –m) and press the spacebar, macOS will automatically replace it with the corresponding dash.
### 3. Typing Dashes in HTML
When writing HTML, you need to use special character entities to display en dashes and em dashes correctly in web browsers.
* **En Dash (–):** Use the HTML entity **–** or the numeric character reference **–**.
* **Em Dash (—):** Use the HTML entity **—** or the numeric character reference **—**.
For example:
html
The years 2010–2020 were significant.
This is an example—a very important one.
### 4. Typing Dashes in Other Environments
The methods for typing dashes may vary slightly depending on the specific software or platform you are using. Here are some general tips:
* **Check the Documentation:** Most software programs have documentation that explains how to insert special characters.
* **Look for a Symbol or Character Insertion Feature:** Many applications have a menu option or button specifically for inserting symbols or special characters.
* **Use a Character Map or Equivalent:** Most operating systems have a built-in utility for accessing and inserting special characters.
* **Copy and Paste:** If all else fails, you can always copy the dash from another document or a website and paste it into your work.
### 5. Common Mistakes to Avoid
* **Confusing Hyphens with Dashes:** Remember that hyphens are for joining words, while dashes are for separating or emphasizing phrases.
* **Using the Wrong Dash:** Use the en dash for ranges and connections, and the em dash for emphasis and breaks in thought.
* **Inconsistent Spacing:** Decide whether you prefer a spaced or unspaced em dash and stick to it throughout your writing. Most style guides prefer unspaced em dashes.
* **Overusing Dashes:** While dashes can be effective, using them too frequently can make your writing look cluttered and disjointed. Use them judiciously.
* **Ignoring Style Guides:** Be aware that different style guides (e.g., AP, Chicago, MLA) have different rules regarding the use of dashes. Consult the appropriate style guide for your writing project.
## Examples of Correct Dash Usage
To further illustrate the proper use of dashes, here are some examples:
* **En Dash (–):**
* The conference will be held from May 10–12.
* He took the Boston–New York train.
* The age range is 18–25.
* **Em Dash (—):**
* She was about to speak—but then the phone rang.
* The cake was delicious—especially the frosting.
* “I have a dream”—Martin Luther King Jr.
## Conclusion
Mastering the art of typing dashes is a small but significant step towards becoming a more polished and effective writer. By understanding the different types of dashes and learning how to type them correctly on your preferred platform, you can add clarity, emphasis, and stylistic flair to your writing. So, go forth and dash away—but remember to use them wisely!
## Further Exploration
To deepen your understanding of dashes and their usage, consider exploring the following resources:
* **The Chicago Manual of Style:** A comprehensive guide to grammar, style, and usage.
* **The AP Stylebook:** A widely used style guide for journalists and other writers.
* **Grammar Girl:** A popular website and podcast offering clear and concise explanations of grammar rules.
* **Purdue OWL (Online Writing Lab):** A valuable resource for writers of all levels.
By continuously learning and refining your writing skills, you can elevate your communication and make a lasting impact on your readers. Happy writing!