How to Use Dashes & Hyphens

Hyphens and dashes can be confusing to use properly. Many word processing applications have special sets of character symbol sets that include hyphens, en-dashes and em-dashes. These symbols look similar and vary in function: Hyphens are short, horizontal lines; en-dashes are slightly longer than a hyphen and were traditionally the width of a letter (such as "n"); and em-dashes are longer than an en-dash and were traditionally the width of the letter "m." All three symbols serve to join parts of a sentence: Hyphens join words and adjectives, en-dashes connect ranges, and em-dashes connect related thoughts.

Instructions

1. Use a hyphen to join words. For example, "He will re-store the blue-gray afghan in the closet."
   Use a hyphen to split syllables in compound words which may be at the end of a line. For example, "...The lady remem-bered her purse..." (the hyphen indicates the line break).
   Use a hyphen to format a date or a telephone number. For example, "3-21-09" or "888-555-1234."

2. Use an em-dash (which is also designated with two dashes) to call out a parenthetical phrase or thought in a sentence. For example, "Her favorite color is blue--the deep blue of the ocean."

3. Use an en-dash to connect a range. For example, "Breakfast 8-9 am" or "Los Angeles-Oahu flight."

Tips & Warnings

• Use an em-dash if you can include the thought or phrase in parentheses. Use an en-dash if you can substitute the word "to" for the symbol.

References

• Washington State University: Common Errors (Hyphens and Dashes)