Write It Well

It’s easy to learn when and how to type a dash instead of a hyphen.

Hyphens (-) connect words, while dashes (—) connect larger parts of a sentence. This paragraph illustrates the difference:

Twitter, the minimalist-format social network that claims to have 100 million users, has built its reputation around its simplicity. Members can post to the service only in text messages of 140 characters or less. They can include a link to another site, or to a photo or video. They can repost other users’ messages on their own pages. They can send each other equally spartan private messages. That’s about it — or so it seems.

A hyphen is used most often in two-word phrases that come before a noun (such as the phrase “two-word” before the noun “phrases” in this sentence).

A dash dramatically separates one idea from the rest of a sentence, calling attention to the words that follow it. Before “or so it seems” in the quote above, a journalist uses a dash to emphasize that Twitter has more uses than the obvious ones he’s just listed.

In Microsoft Word on a Mac or a PC, you can use the hyphen key to type a dash:

• On a Mac, you can type a dash by holding down the Option key plus the hyphen key
• On a PC, you can type a dash by holding down the CTRL key plus the hyphen key

Add a space both before and after this kind of dash, and your prose can instantly look more polished.

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Write It Well’s book Essential Grammar includes two chapters on punctuation. We’ve made all the book’s exercises available as a free download here to accompany the e-book, which is now available on Amazon.com!

Do you have an important document but not enough time to clarify your thoughts and double-check your punctuation and grammar? Just use Write It Well’s editing services to make sure your readers follow your ideas and respect your voice.

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Lists are an extremely clear and user-friendly way to present information, but they can be tricky to punctuate. Here’s one tip.

Sometimes a paragraph ends with a statement that introduces several following paragraphs. In that situation, the introductory statement should end with a period instead of a colon — just like any other paragraph. Here’s an example of this kind of mistake.

Other [San Francisco] restaurants that have opened in the last couple of years [elicit positive emotions in a] sophisticated and subtle way. Here are six:

AQ. The newest restaurant that features great design is AQ on Mission between 6th and 7th streets….

Chambers. This space has been the home of Miss Pearl’s Jam House and Bambuddha Lounge….

Gitane. Located on tiny Claude Lane, Gitane feels like a speakeasy….

Bar Agricole. The whimsical  glass tubes that surround the skylights,  the brick walls, high beamed ceiling and molded concrete booths all work to give this industrial space a modern, joyful edge.

25 Lusk. Built in 1917 as a meat packer and smokehouse, the bunker-like brick walls make the place feel cozy….

Park Tavern. It feels like an upscale brasserie.…

The “Here are six” sentence calls for a final period instead of a colon. A colon would be correct only if each of these six restaurants were under a bulleted and indented list — an alternate, equally correct way to format the information above.

It’s great to end one paragraph with an explanation of the single topic that the next few paragraphs will cover. Just save colons for list introductions and end all your paragraphs with periods, and you’ll be in the clear!

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Write It Well’s book Essential Grammar includes two chapters on punctuation. We’ve made all the book’s exercises available as a free download here to accompany the e-book, which is now available on Amazon.com!

Do you have an important document but not enough time to clarify your thoughts and double-check your punctuation and grammar? Just use Write It Well’s editing services to make sure your readers follow your ideas and respect your voice.

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Here’s a way you can use punctuation marks as traffic signals, building momentum and steering readers through your ideas.

Dashes call extra attention to the information they set off, and parentheses make information seem less important. Here’s an example:

Barnes & Noble, the nation’s largest book chain, said on Thursday that it was considering spinning off its Nook e-reader division in an effort to help the nascent — and expensive — digital business grow.

Now compare the effect when parentheses are substituted for the dashes:

Barnes & Noble, the nation’s largest book chain, said on Thursday that it was considering spinning off its Nook e-reader division in an effort to help the nascent (and expensive) digital business grow.

See how the parentheses make the expense look like a slight detour, while the dashes above make it look as if the writer were passing some especially interesting scenery?

Consciously using dashes and parentheses can help you highlight essential information (and downplay less important information) that you need to convey.

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Write It Well’s book Essential Grammar includes two chapters on punctuation. We’ve made all the book’s exercises available as a free download here to accompany the e-book, which is now available on Amazon.com!

Do you have an important document but not enough time to clarify your thoughts and double-check your punctuation and grammar? Just use Write It Well’s editing services to make sure your readers follow your ideas and respect your voice.

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