Em dash en dash

What is the difference in usage between an em dash and an en dash? I will try to condense the various bits of information scattered throughout CMOS. The em dash is perhaps the most versatile punctuation mark.

Depending on the context, the em dash can take the place of commas, parentheses, or colons—in . The en dash (–) is slightly wider than the hyphen (-) but narrower than the em dash (—). The typical computer keyboard lacks a dedicated key for the en . An em-dash is typically used as a stand-in for a comma or parenthesis to separate out phrases—or even just a word—in a sentence for various .

A number of you have written to ask us to explain the difference between the hyphen, the em dash, and the en dash . Hyphens often creep into web copy in places where em dashes belong. When this happens, it makes the copy awkward and slows the reader down, forcing . Using the AutoFormat feature in Microsoft Wor you can create both an Em dash (—) and En dash (–) automatically by typing hyphens. If you're confused about the various types of dashes and when to use them, you're not alone. Figuring out whether to use an en dash, em dash, em dashes, . An em dash (—) is longer than an en dash (–) and three times as long as a hyphen (-).

It is useful and versatile, and too few writers make use . An en dash or en rule (–) is wider than a hyphen (-) and narrower than an em dash (–). The en dash is neglected by many writers except as a substitute for an .