A dash is a punctuation mark used to connect related information or separate parts of a sentence. English commonly uses two types: the en dash (–) and the em dash (—).
An en dash often shows a range:
The exhibition runs November 12–18.
An em dash can introduce additional information or an unexpected detail:
The exhibition was almost ready—except for one missing painting.
The way these marks are used and spaced can also depend on the editorial style you’re following.
When to Use an En Dash (–)
An en dash is longer than a hyphen (-) but shorter than an em dash (—).
You’ll most often see it in dates, times, page references, and expressions connecting related places or ideas.
Numbers, Dates, and Time Ranges
An en dash can indicate a span between two values.
For example:
Please review pages 36–49 before the workshop.
The en dash indicates pages 36 through 49.
You may also see it in a schedule:
Registration: 9:00–10:30 a.m.
Or in a date range:
The library will host its annual book fair June 14–16.
These compact forms are useful in schedules, tables, and headings.
In standard edited prose, avoid combining an en dash with from or between when expressing a range.
Compare:
Incorrect:
The training runs from 9:00–11:00 a.m.
Correct:
The training runs from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.
You could also write the time range without from:
Training: 9:00–11:00 a.m.
The same principle applies to between.
Incorrect:
The survey covers the period between 2018–2023.
Correct:
The survey covers the period between 2018 and 2023.
When you begin with from, complete the construction with to. When you begin with between, use and.
In ordinary prose, writing out a range can be easier to read.
The clinic will accept walk-in appointments from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
An en dash also doesn’t explain every detail about a range by itself. In technical or mathematical writing, you may need additional wording or notation to clarify whether endpoints are included.
Relationships Between Places or People
An en dash can connect two names or terms that have a relationship.
For example:
The Mumbai–Pune route will have additional bus services during the holiday season.
The en dash connects the two places that define the route.
It can also express a relationship between people or roles:
The editor–author relationship improved as they worked through the manuscript.
However, not every relationship between two words requires an en dash.
Some established expressions use hyphens, while others are clearer with ordinary conjunctions or prepositions.
Use an en dash when it represents the intended connection and fits the editorial style you’re following.
En Dashes in Complex Compound Modifiers
An en dash sometimes appears in a compound modifier when one of its elements already contains more than one word.
Consider:
A New York–based photographer documented the restoration.
The place name New York contains two words. The en dash connects the entire name to based.
Compare that with:
A London-based photographer documented the restoration.
Here, London is one word, so a hyphen is the familiar choice.
Another example:
The Nobel Prize–winning scientist spoke at the university.
The en dash connects the open expression Nobel Prize to winning.
This is a specialized editorial convention, not a rule requiring an en dash in every compound modifier containing multiple words.
Some publications use different hyphenation practices or prefer rewriting the phrase.
For instance:
The scientist, who had won a Nobel Prize, spoke at the university.
This version avoids the compound modifier entirely.
When to Use an Em Dash (—)
An em dash can separate additional information, introduce an explanation, or mark an abrupt break in speech or thought.
Unlike an en dash used for ranges, an em dash works mainly within the structure of a sentence.
To Set Off Additional Information
A pair of em dashes can enclose information that interrupts the main sentence.
For example:
The old theater—closed for nearly a decade—will reopen in December.
The words between the dashes add background information about the theater.
Remove them, and the main sentence still works:
The old theater will reopen in December.
Another example:
Her grandfather’s watch—a gift from his father—was still running after seventy years.
The dashes add a detail about the watch without changing which watch the sentence refers to.
The information between paired em dashes should normally be additional, not essential to identifying the person or thing being discussed.
Consider:
The students who submitted their projects early received feedback on Monday.
Here, who submitted their projects early identifies which students received feedback. The sentence may be referring only to the students who submitted early.
Now compare:
The students—who submitted their projects early—received feedback on Monday.
This version treats the early submission as additional information about an already identifiable group of students.
It can suggest that all the students being discussed submitted their projects early.
The punctuation therefore affects more than emphasis. It can change how readers understand the information.
When you’re unsure, ask whether the additional words identify the subject or merely tell readers something extra about it.
If the main sentence resumes after a parenthetical interruption, you normally need a second em dash to close it.
The documents—some of which had been stored in the attic for years—were carefully restored.
When the additional information comes at the end of the sentence, a single em dash may be enough.
To Introduce an Explanation or Change in Thought
A single em dash can introduce a clarification, result, or sudden change in the direction of a sentence.
Consider:
The restaurant had one problem—the kitchen’s refrigeration system had stopped working.
The information after the dash explains what the problem was.
An em dash can also connect a list of items to a statement about them.
The photographs, the handwritten letters, the damaged maps—all were recovered from the flooded archive.
The dash separates the list from the statement that follows. The word all refers back to the items just mentioned.
You can also use an em dash when a speaker corrects their own thought.
I thought the appointment was Thursday—no, it’s Friday.
The speaker begins with one piece of information and then abruptly corrects it.
To Show an Interruption in Speech
In dialogue, an em dash can show that someone stops speaking abruptly or is interrupted.
Imagine someone trying to explain why they missed an important meeting.
“I was going to call you, but—”
“You could have sent a message,” her colleague replied.
The first speaker is interrupted before finishing the sentence.
The em dash appears inside the quotation marks because it belongs to the spoken words.
An abrupt event can also interrupt speech.
“If we turn left at the next—”
Before the driver could finish, a loud crash came from the back of the bus.
The unfinished quotation and the following narration show why the speaker stopped.
What about an ellipsis?
An ellipsis (…) generally suggests that speech trails off, fades away, or remains unfinished in a less abrupt way.
Compare:
Abrupt interruption:
“I told you not to open that—”
Trailing off:
“I thought there might still be a chance…”
The first suggests a sudden break.
The second suggests hesitation or a thought fading away.
Choosing Between a Dash and Other Punctuation
An em dash isn’t always necessary when a sentence contains additional information or an explanation.
Sometimes a comma, colon, or pair of parentheses communicates the same basic facts more naturally.
Em Dash vs. Commas and Parentheses
Imagine you’re describing a historic building.
With commas:
The old courthouse, which had stood empty since 2008, was finally restored.
The additional information fits smoothly into the sentence.
With em dashes:
The old courthouse—which had stood empty since 2008—was finally restored.
The information is more distinctly separated from the main statement.
With parentheses:
The old courthouse (which had stood empty since 2008) was finally restored.
The extra detail reads more like an aside.
All three versions are acceptable because the additional clause isn’t needed to identify the courthouse.
Commas are often the most natural choice when information fits comfortably into a sentence. Parentheses can make a detail feel secondary. Em dashes give the interruption greater prominence.
But you shouldn’t replace commas with em dashes automatically.
Consider:
After checking the documents, the clerk returned them to the customer.
The comma follows an introductory phrase. It isn’t marking a parenthetical interruption that needs paired dashes.
The same caution applies to identifying information. Adding dashes around a clause can change its meaning, as the earlier example about students demonstrated.
Em Dash vs. Colon
A colon and an em dash can both introduce an explanation.
Compare:
The inspection uncovered one serious issue: the building’s emergency exits were blocked.
The inspection uncovered one serious issue—the building’s emergency exits were blocked.
The colon presents the information directly.
The em dash creates a more noticeable break before the explanation.
In a safety inspection report, the colon may be preferable because the purpose is to communicate findings clearly.
In a narrative describing the inspection, an em dash could fit the surrounding writing.
However, that doesn’t mean colons and em dashes are interchangeable everywhere. Their grammatical uses differ, and a colon normally requires an appropriate preceding construction.
Dash Spacing and Formatting
Even when you choose the right dash, different publications may format it differently.
These differences are often matters of editorial style rather than grammatical correctness.
Spaces Around En and Em Dashes
An en dash used in a compact numerical range is commonly written without spaces:
Pages 18–34
The 2025–2026 academic year
Some editorial styles, including Associated Press style, prefer hyphens rather than en dashes for many numerical ranges.
That’s why you may see different marks used in newspapers, books, and other publications.
An em dash used within a sentence may also be spaced differently.
Common American book-publishing style:
The parcel arrived—two days earlier than expected.
Chicago-style publishing generally uses em dashes without spaces.
Associated Press style:
The parcel arrived — two days earlier than expected.
AP uses spaces around the em dash.
Some British and Australian publications use a spaced en dash instead of an em dash for sentence interruptions:
The parcel arrived – two days earlier than expected.
All three forms occur in established editorial conventions.
This doesn’t mean en dashes and em dashes are interchangeable in every context. Different styles may assign similar sentence-level functions to different dash forms.
If you’re writing for a school, publisher, or organization with its own punctuation rules, follow those conventions.
How to Type an En Dash or Em Dash
The ordinary hyphen key on your keyboard produces -, not an en dash or em dash.
These shortcuts work in the indicated environments.
| Device or application | En dash (–) | Em dash (—) |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Word on Windows | Ctrl + NumPad Minus | Ctrl + Alt + NumPad Minus |
| Microsoft Word on Mac | Option + Hyphen | Shift + Option + Hyphen |
The Windows shortcuts use the minus key on a numeric keypad, not the ordinary hyphen key.
In Microsoft Word for Windows, you can also type the Unicode character code and press Alt + X:
2013followed by Alt + X produces an en dash.2014followed by Alt + X produces an em dash.
Some word processors automatically replace particular combinations of hyphens with dashes. That depends on the software and its settings, so it won’t work in every text editor.
You can also copy the symbols directly:
En dash: –
Em dash: —
For a closer comparison with the ordinary hyphen, see hyphen vs. dash.
Practice: Choose and Place the Correct Dash
These exercises involve dash conventions, sentence structure, and punctuation choices.
Some have one clear correction. Others involve deciding between acceptable alternatives.
Exercise 1: Correct the Range
A conference organizer is preparing a schedule.
Which versions are appropriate?
A.
The morning session runs from 10:00–11:30 a.m.
B.
Morning session: 10:00–11:30 a.m.
C.
The morning session runs from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Answer
B and C are appropriate.
B uses an en dash in a compact schedule entry.
C uses from … to in a complete sentence.
A incorrectly combines from with an en dash representing to.
The choice between B and C depends on whether you’re writing a compact schedule or ordinary prose.
Exercise 2: Essential or Additional Information?
A museum has finished restoring a diary written by Captain Elias Ward. Visitors already know which diary the announcement refers to.
The museum wants to add one background detail: the diary was discovered inside a locked sea chest.
Which sentence uses paired em dashes appropriately?
A.
The diary—discovered inside a locked sea chest—will go on display next month.
B.
The diary discovered—inside a locked sea chest—will go on display next month.
Answer
A is the appropriate version.
The diary—discovered inside a locked sea chest—will go on display next month.
The diary has already been identified. Its discovery inside the sea chest is additional information.
The complete aside can therefore be enclosed with paired em dashes.
In B, the dashes separate discovered from the phrase that completes its meaning. The interruption isn’t placed around a complete additional detail.
What if the discovery detail identified which diary was meant?
Suppose the museum had several diaries and needed to distinguish this one from the others.
It could write:
The diary discovered inside a locked sea chest will go on display next month.
Here, the phrase identifies the diary. Enclosing it in paired em dashes could change the intended meaning.
Exercise 3: Interrupted or Trailing Off?
Two visitors are talking in a hospital waiting room.
Choose an em dash or ellipsis for each unfinished sentence. The ending punctuation has deliberately been removed. Add your chosen mark immediately before the closing quotation mark.
A.
A visitor begins asking a question, but an announcement suddenly interrupts them.
“Do you think the doctor will be able to”
B.
Another visitor is uncertain and gradually loses confidence while speaking.
“I thought they said the results would be ready”
Answer
A. Em dash
“Do you think the doctor will be able to—”
The em dash indicates that the speaker is cut off abruptly.
B. Ellipsis
“I thought they said the results would be ready…”
The ellipsis suggests hesitation or a thought trailing off.
The manner in which the speech ends determines which mark fits.
Exercise 4: Colon or Em Dash?
A researcher has discovered why an old photograph was incorrectly dated.
Consider these sentences:
A.
The mistake came from one overlooked detail: the clock tower hadn’t been built until 1912.
B.
The mistake came from one overlooked detail—the clock tower hadn’t been built until 1912.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Answer
Both are correct.
The colon in A introduces the explanation directly.
The em dash in B creates a more noticeable break before the revealing detail.
For a formal research report, A may be the more conventional choice.
For a narrative about the discovery, B may feel more natural.
Exercise 5: Edit a Short Community Notice
A neighborhood association is preparing a notice about its annual street festival.
The notice includes dates, an explanation of a schedule change, and information about a road closure.
Correct the dash punctuation where necessary. Use unspaced em dashes for sentence interruptions.
Original notice:
The festival will run from August 21–23. Food stalls will be open between 11 a.m.–7 p.m. This year’s event has one important change – the evening concert will take place indoors. The main street – which is being repaired – will remain closed to vehicles throughout the weekend.
Suggested revision
The festival will run from August 21 to 23. Food stalls will be open between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. This year’s event has one important change—the evening concert will take place indoors. The main street—which is being repaired—will remain closed to vehicles throughout the weekend.
Why these changes?
The first two sentences need from … to and between … and rather than numerical range dashes.
The third uses an em dash to introduce the change. A colon would also be acceptable.
The final sentence uses paired em dashes around the additional information about the repairs.
The original hyphens in the last two sentences aren’t appropriate substitutes for em dashes under the requested style.
When you’re unsure about using a dash, look at what the sentence needs. Are you connecting two things, adding information, or marking an interruption? Sometimes a dash makes that relationship clear. Other times, a comma, colon, or a few extra words will read more naturally.
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