How To Use Dashes In Essays
My brothers richard and john are visiting hanoi.
How to use dashes in essays. It s longer than a hyphen and is commonly used to indicate a range or a pause. Dashes are used to separate groups of words not to separate parts of words like a hyphen does. Typically em dashes are unspaced when used parenthetically. The material inside the dashes relates to the information in the rest of the sentence but it acts as an interruption to the main point that you re making. Use an em dash to bring focus to a list.
The information inside the dashes is off topic. The etruscans a largely mysterious civilisation left behind few archaeological artefacts. Place em dashes around non essential information or a list in the middle of a sentence like you would with commas. When a sentence begins with an independent clause and ends with a list you can use a colon between the clause and the list. Since conventions differ slightly from place to place one thing you should do to ensure accuracy is check your style guide before starting an essay.
It is used in the same manner as a parenthetical expression. Use a dash to show a pause or break in meaning in the middle of a sentence. Using a colon between a verb and its object or complement. If you look carefully hyphens and dashes differ in appearance as well as their use so picking the right one in any given situation is vital. The words between a pair of dashes may or may not form a complete sentence.
Take it out and the sentence makes sense. A colon can be used immediately after the greeting in a formal letter less formal letters tend to use a comma in this location. A dash is a little horizontal line that floats in the middle of a line of text not at the bottom. To whom it may concern. But you can use it right here right now.
The main use of em dashes is to set part of a sentence apart from surrounding text like brackets. Rather than placing parentheses around a phrase within a statement writers can opt to surround the phrase with an em dash on either end. Please accept my application for the position advertised in the news and observer. 4 9 5 5 star rating. When the list comes first it s better to use a dash to connect the list to the clause.