Move over, debate about the Oxford/serial comma, because now the debate is whether or not to use the em dash. As it turns out, one of my favourite punctuation marks is the em dash—and I will continue to use it, thank you very much. This weekend I was reminded about em dashes by a friend who asked me if I was part of the em dash discussion on Twitter. I feel like I missed my Twitter moment, yet I thought it’s the perfect time to share some information about the em dash (which is not a hyphen).
Fact: Dashes and hyphens are different and have different jobs.
I first learned about em dashes when I was in high school. Our English teacher taught us about em dashes when we read the poetry of Emily Dickinson, and I started to use them in my creative writing for our daily journal prompts. There’s something about the pause and the authorial instruction that comes with the em dash that I find interesting. The em dash allows for space, and sometimes ambiguity. I feel like the em dash invites the reader into the work more so than any other punctuation mark. When a reader comes across an em dash, they need to slow down and take a moment to interpret the silence or space created. Grammarians and analysists still don’t 100 percent have a single definition for what happens when authors use em dashes, and I think for me that’s the joy of using them.
Some grammarians (like Arthur Plotnik) are not fans of the em dash. Apparently for some, “the dash is too abrupt. With a dash, one expects an indirection, like, ‘Ask not what your country can do for you—ask how you can get heartburn relief'” (Arthur Plotnik, Spunk & Bite, Pg 174). I have to disagree with Plonik: I believe that the em dash adds a level of engagement with the text that creates space and a sense of fun. At one point in my teaching career, I was told to rewrite my report card comments to replace the em dashes with parentheses. Needless to say, there was quite a debate about the formality or informality of the em dash. Who knew regular folks were so passionate about a dash?! (If you are looking for some fellow grammar nerds, please look up #emdash and be pleasantly surprised.)
Fact: An em dash is twice as long as a hyphen (which is why a lot of folks use two hyphens together to create an em dash, especially in Word).
Okay, so what is an em dash exactly and what does it do? It does everything!! Well, not actually, but sort of. Let me explain.
- What is it? An em dash is like an M on its side, or twice as long as a hyphen.
- It is used to create breaks in sentences.
- Em dashes can offset parenthetical information (instead of using parentheses or commas).
- They show change of speaker in dialogue (sometimes).
- They can be used to show that an idea wasn’t finished (especially in dialogue or an inner monologue).
- Em dashes do not require spacing. So, do no include any spaces with em dashes—attach those suckers to the letters (unless you write for a newspaper, then add spaces).
Once you begin to use an em dash, it’s hard to stop. They can add some flair and drama into your writing. And honestly, I don’t see why they couldn’t be included in formal writing (no rule that says you have to stick with parentheses all of the time). But honestly, if you’re interested in using the em dash, I’d do some more research—Google “em dash or parentheses” and see what comes up. Sometimes style guides are specific about when and where to use em dashes.
Fact: Em dashes are fun to use.
What about hyphens? Use hyphens to connect words. That’s all. Ever. (Examples, semi-private room, semi-public event.) En dashes? Use them to connect ranges, like numbers (pages 60–67, $150–$160) or ideas that are a bit complicated (a semi-private–semi-public event, a Justin Trudeau–like speaking style).
Like good seasoning, don’t overdo the em dash. Think about which information you want to draw attention to, and use the em dash there—too much of a good thing can be overwhelming. But do include the em dash in your toolbox of writing—your readers will appreciate your variety. Happy writing!
Feature Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash