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What's the difference between a hyphen and a dash? How do you know when to use one or the other of these punctuation marks?

A hyphen is a short, single-character line which connects word parts.

The hyphen serves two primary functions:

  1. to divide words that split at the end of a line
  2. to join word parts into a single word.

A dash is a longer line---double the length of a hyphen---which indicates a break or an interruption in the thought.

Dashes are used to set off part of a sentence. Unlike parentheses, which tend to minimize, dashes tend to emphasize the set-off text.

Using these punctuation marks correctly will help you make your meaning clear to your readers. In the next few screens, we'll look at each of these marks individually to see how they are used

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Related Questions

Why doesn't Word change dashes to hyphens?

Because hyphens are dashes. Word changes double dashes into em dashes (the long dashes) automatically if there is a space before and after the double dash.


What If you type three hyphens then press the ENTER key?

It changes the hyphens into end dashes.


If you type three hyphens then press the enter key what happens?

It changes the hyphens into end dashes.


Typing text followed by two hyphens followed by more text and then a space changes the two hyphens to?

If you are referring to the automatic replacement that occurs in Microsoft Word, the two dashes change to what is called an em dash.


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The black dots and dashes between states on a map represents the state boundaries. The dots and dashes are used to outline the state.


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How do you make an em dash?

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