Copy Dashes

What is an En Dash?

It is my favorite punctuation mark, because it serves the grammatical purpose of a semicolon or parentheses without losing the emphasis – in fact, it adds emphasis. There is a space on either side. In some fonts, it is the same width as the letter n.

What is an Em Dash?

It functions the same way as an en dash—except there is no need for spaces on either side. Usually a publication will choose whether they prefer en dashes or em dashes, and use their choice consistently. In some fonts, it is the same width as the letter m.

How to Insert an En Dash or an Em Dash?

There are many ways to insert an en dash or em dash, depending on the program that you're using. For example: In Microsoft Word, you can insert an en dash by typing a hyphen surrounded by two spaces. Or, for an em dash, type two hyphens in a row. In Chrome, you can use an extension such as ChromeDash. In HTML, you can type "–" for an en dash, or type "—" for an em dash.

How to Insert a Minus Sign?

You can follow the same steps to insert a minus sign as to insert an en dash or em dash. This is less common because usually a hyphen will suffice, but it may be useful for math or financial purposes.