An em dash (—)is longer than an en dash (–) and three times as long as a hyphen (-). Don’t be afraid of it. It is useful and versatile, and too few writers make use of it.
Uses of the em dash
1. Em dashes set apart parenthetical phrases or clauses in a sentence. In this use, em dashes are similar to commas and parentheses, but there are subtle differences. Mac microsoft outlook update. For example, em dashes are used when a parenthetical remark contains an internal comma or would otherwise sound awkward if enclosed by commas. Perhaps a useful way to think of the em dash is as a pause or parenthesis with somewhat more emphasis than a comma and somewhat less than parentheses. Here are a few examples of em dashes used well for this purpose:
Steely Dan’s title track to FM--a justly forgotten, Robert Altman-inspired 1978 comedy that tries to pass off Foreigner, Foghat, and REO Speedwagon as paragons of rock rebellion—initially sounds like an extension of that movie’s middle-of-the-road sounds. [AV Club]
Welcome to TNW Basics, a collection of tips, guides, and advice on how to easily get the most out of your gadgets, apps, and other stuff. Nobody loves an em-dash more than I do — I put an em. If you're using a Mac press option (or alt), shift and then the dash button. The word processor will change it into a 'long dash.' So Microsoft Word is just one program out of a set of.
Since 2007, the consensus of the economic establishment—bankers, policymakers, CEOs, stock analysts, pundits—has been catastrophically wrong. [Slate]
Both Dagan and Diskin oppose military action against Iran unless all other options—primarily international diplomatic pressure and perhaps sabotage—have been exhausted. [Guardian]
![Word Word](/uploads/1/2/5/6/125640680/657464659.png)
In other cases, em dashes can go where parentheses would be too strong a break in a sentence, for example:
The president’s nephews—sons of his late brother—include Amar, the deputy director for national security … [New York Times]
2. An em dash can indicate a sudden break, an interruption, or a trailing off, for example:
Microsoft office mac free. Most staff nationally and internationally figure out their own tech support. I notice most at conferences seem to use Macs.but its been a nightmare trying by exporting through gmail contacts then importing into apple address and then into the gmail address book. Thanks gentlemen, for your stories.I've been trying to figure out how to transfer my Outlook business contacts (more than 3000 of them) to my MacAir for the past few months, with many trips to Apple store getting help from their friendly and patient tech support, and bits of advice frommy distant work office.
![En dash in word mac En dash in word mac](/uploads/1/2/5/6/125640680/107344959.jpg)
HOWARD: … She’s totally unapologetic, she’s--
CHEW-BOSE: She’s everything. [Interview Magazine]
CHEW-BOSE: She’s everything. [Interview Magazine]
3. Em dashes can replace colons or serve as harder versions of commas (similar to semicolons). While parenthetical em dashes often operate in pairs (see the examples under the first point above), hard-comma em dashes often function alone at ends of sentences, for example:
The all-renewable energy sector is 30 years away — and always will be. [Salon]
It’s that time of year again—time for New Year’s Resolutions! [Pegasus Books]
Em dash typography
Publications make varying style choices when it comes to rendering the em dash. Some use the equivalent of three linked hyphens surrounded by a space on each side (like — this), and some omit the surrounding spaces (like—this). Others, like the online New York Times and most non-U.S. publishers, use an en dash (or the equivalent of two hyphens) surrounded by spaces (like — this). Some use an en dash with no spaces (like–this). Others, such as the BBC online, use a hyphen surrounded by spaces (like – this). The hyphen is traditionally regarded as a poor substitute for the dash, but given the relative ease of typing the hyphen, its use in lieu of the dash seems to be on the rise, and many see nothing wrong in it. Ultimately, it is a matter of editorial preference.
In Mac OS X, an em dash can be typed very easily by holding down the option and shift keys and typing a hyphen.
In Microsoft Word, an em dash can be typed with ctrl + alt + numeric hyphen. Note that this is only available using the hyphen on the numeric keypad not the main keyboard. Word (on a Mac or a PC) will automatically render an em dash when two hyphens are typed, unspaced, between words.
An em dash, or long dash, is used:
- in pairs, to mark off information or ideas that are not essential to an understanding of the rest of the sentence:
Thousands of children—like the girl in this photograph—have been left homeless.
My son—where has he gone?—would like to meet you.
- to show other kinds of break in a sentence where a comma, semicolon, or colon would be traditionally used:
Ms Word Long Dash
Microsoft office 2013 professional plus download mac. One thing’s for sure—he doesn’t want to face the truth.
Things have changed a lot in the last year—mainly for the better.
Note that there is no space added on either side of an em dash.
Em dashes are especially common in informal writing, such as personal emails or blogs, but it’s best to use them sparingly when you are writing formally.
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