Dashes—a 60-second masterclass
There’s a lot of talk about AI over-using em dashes. But - if you want your writing to look professional, you do need to know the difference between a hyphen, an en dash, and the mighty em dash. A lot of people use them interchangeably, but using them correctly is the ultimate "if you know, you know" for high-level communicators.
Here is the 60-second masterclass
1. The Hyphen (-)
The Connector.
• Use it for: Joining words together or separating phone numbers.
• Example: "A well-known author."
• Vibe: Keeping things tight and tidy..
2. The En Dash (–)
The Navigator. (Width of the letter 'n')
• Use it for: Ranges of time, dates, or numbers. It basically replaces the word "to."
• Example: "The 1990**–2000 era" or "9:00 AM–**5:00 PM."
• Vibe: Sophisticated logic..
3. The Em Dash (—)
The Showstopper. (Width of the letter 'm')
• Use it for: Creating a dramatic pause, adding an afterthought, or replacing commas/parentheses for emphasis.
• Example: "She finally reached the summit**—**and realized she'd forgotten the camera."
• Vibe: Bold, stylish, and impactful.
Pro-Tip: On a Mac, type Option + Shift + - for an em dash. On Windows, hold Alt and type 0151.
Small details are what separate "good" content from "expert" authority. Learning the difference between these three dashes, and when to use them, is one of the things I learned during my proofreading training. with The Publishing Training Centre.