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There are three types of horizontal punctuation marks: the hyphen (-), en dash (–), and em dash (—). The en dash is approximately the length of the letter N, and the em dash is the length of the letter M. Each mark has specific uses and cannot be used interchangeably.
This guide explains the differences between the hyphen, en dash, and em dash. It covers when to use each mark, how to type them on a keyboard, and common mistakes to avoid.
What is a hyphen?
The hyphen (-) is the shortest and most common of the three marks. It’s the small line that appears directly on your keyboard, so it doesn’t need any special key combinations. The hyphen has several crucial functions in English writing.
Compound words
Hyphens join two or more words to create a single concept, clarifying meaning and improving readability. Without a hyphen, sentences can become ambiguous.
Consider this example:
Correct: “She’s a well-known author in literary circles.”
Incorrect: “She’s a well known author in literary circles.”
The hyphen in “well-known” shows that “well” and “known” work together as a single descriptive unit. Other common compound words include “state-of-the-art,” “mother-in-law,” and “twenty-one.”
Compound modifiers
When two or more words team up to describe a noun, they often need a hyphen to prevent confusion. This is especially important when the modifier comes before the noun.
Correct: “She works in a well-lit office.”
Incorrect: “She works in a well lit office.”
Without a hyphen, readers might momentarily wonder if “well” and “lit” are separate descriptions.
More examples:
“He is a fast-thinking individual.”
“The company implemented a cost-effective solution.”
Suspensive hyphens
Suspensive hyphens help you avoid repetition when you have multiple compound words that share a common element. They are particularly useful in professional and technical writing.
Correct: “We offer short- and long-term parking options.”
Incorrect: “We offer short and long term parking options.”
The hyphen after “short” signals that “term” applies to both “short” and “long,” so you don’t need to write “short-term and long-term.”
Other examples:
“The survey covered pre- and post-treatment symptoms.”
“Both full- and part-time employees receive benefits.”
“First- and second-year students may apply.”
Prefixes and suffixes
Hyphens often appear with specific prefixes, especially when they prevent awkward letter combinations or confusion.
Hyphens also help when a prefix creates a double vowel that might be hard to read, such as “re-enter” (instead of “reenter”) or “pre-existing” (instead of “preexisting”).
What is an en dash?
The en dash (–) is slightly longer than a hyphen but shorter than an em dash. Its name comes from traditional typography, where it was roughly the width of the letter “N.” Though less common than hyphens, the en dash has specific and important functions.
Ranges
The primary role of an en dash is to indicate a range of numbers, dates, times, or pages. It creates a cleaner, more professional look than a hyphen.
“Please read pages 10–20 for homework.”
“The conference runs from 9:00 am–5:00 pm.”
“She lived from 1985–2020.”
“The project timeline spans January–March 2024.”
Relationships and connections
You can also use an en dash to show a relationship between two equal elements, especially where one doesn’t modify the other.
“The New York–London flight was delayed.”
“We scheduled a teacher–student conference.”
“The Dallas–Fort Worth airport serves millions of passengers.”
This differs from a hyphenated compound because the two elements are distinct entities. For example, New York doesn’t describe London.
Sports scores
En dashes are standard for showing sports scores and voting results.
“The final score was 3–2.”
“The resolution passed 15–8.”
“United won 4–1 against their rivals.”
What is an em dash?
The em dash (—) is the longest of the three marks, roughly the width of the letter “M.” It’s a highly versatile punctuation mark that can replace commas, parentheses, and colons to create specific effects.
Interruptions and pauses
Em dashes are perfect for showing a sudden break in thought or an interruption in dialogue.
“The weather—if you can call it that—was surprisingly mild.”
The em dash creates a stronger, more dramatic pause than a comma and feels less formal than parentheses. It’s particularly effective in creative and informal writing.
More examples:
“I was thinking—no, I’m sure—that I locked the door.”
“She opened the envelope and found—nothing.”
“The meeting was cancelled—again—without explanation.”
Emphasis
An em dash can add emphasis to a phrase or clause, drawing the reader’s attention more forcefully than other punctuation.
“He made it clear—absolutely clear—that he wouldn’t tolerate lateness.”
“There’s only one solution to this problem—complete transparency.”
“The results were shocking—beyond anything we had expected.”
Setting off extra information
Em dashes can set off explanatory information, much as parentheses do. They are especially useful when the extra information contains its own punctuation.
“The team—comprising members from marketing, sales, and development—met yesterday.”
“My favourite authors—Dickens, Austen, and Brontë—all wrote during the Victorian era.”
Attribution
You can also use an em dash to attribute a quote, especially when the author’s name appears after it.
“To be or not to be, that is the question.” — William Shakespeare
How to type dashes
Many writers struggle to type en and em dashes because they aren’t on standard keyboards. Here’s how to create them.
Hyphen (-)
Simply press the hyphen key, which is usually located next to the zero.
En Dash (–)
Windows: Hold Alt and type 0150 on the numeric keypad.
Mac: Hold Option and press the hyphen key.
Microsoft Word: Type a word, a space, a hyphen, another space, another word, and then a final space. AutoCorrect will often convert the hyphen to an en dash.
Em Dash (—)
Windows: Hold Alt and type 0151 on the numeric keypad.
Mac: Hold Option + Shift and press the hyphen key.
Microsoft Word: Type two hyphens between two words (with no spaces), and AutoCorrect will convert them into an em dash.
Most word processors also let you insert dashes from their symbol menus.
Common mistakes to avoid
Understanding the rules is only half the battle. Here are some common errors to watch out for.
Using hyphens instead of dashes
This is the most frequent mistake. Using a hyphen for everything creates an inconsistent and unprofessional look.
Wrong: “The meeting runs 2:00-4:00 pm.”
Right: “The meeting runs 2:00–4:00 pm.”
Wrong: “She paused - then continued speaking.”
Right: “She paused—then continued speaking.”
Incorrect spacing around em dashes
Style guides differ on whether to put spaces around em dashes, but the key is to be consistent. Most British style guides recommend no spaces, while some American ones prefer spaces.
British style (no spaces): “The results—as expected—were disappointing.”
American style (with spaces): “The results — as expected — were disappointing.”
Choose one style and stick with it.
Overusing em dashes
Em dashes are powerful, but they lose their impact when overused. Try to limit yourself to one or two per paragraph and consider if commas or parentheses might work better.
Overused: “The project—which started in January—faced delays—unexpected ones—that pushed completion—originally scheduled for March—to May.”
Better: “The project, which started in January, faced unexpected delays that pushed completion from the original March deadline to May.”
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