—, –, -,& -

The Em Dash, En Dash,
Dash, & Hyphen

There's often confusion about hyphens and dashes, particularly for those who aren't copywriters. Knowing the difference can be challenging, so here is a handy reference to Canadian English punctuation rules for the em dash, en dash, dash, and hyphen.

1. Em Dash (—)

• Usage: The em dash creates a strong break in a sentence, often replacing commas, parentheses, or colons. It can emphasize a point or indicate a pause in thought.
• Spacing: In Canadian English, em dashes are typically unspaced on both sides.
• Example:
  • Correct: “The report—which was due yesterday—has not been submitted.”
  • Incorrect: “The report — which was due yesterday — has not been submitted.”

2. En Dash (–)

• Usage: The en dash indicates a range (such as dates or numbers) or a connection between two things. It’s slightly longer than a hyphen but shorter than an em dash. It signifies "up to and including." It's difficult to render on a keyboard so is usually dropped in favour of a regular dash.
• Spacing: Like the em dash, the en dash is unspaced in Canadian English.
• Example:
  • Correct: “The meeting is scheduled for 2:00–3:00 PM.”
  • Incorrect: “The meeting is scheduled for 2:00 – 3:00 PM.”

3. Dash (-)

• Usage: The term “dash” often refers to the hyphen in Canadian English, but it can sometimes be used more generally to refer to both the em dash and en dash, depending on the context. The dash on your keyboard is usually the hyphen.
• Spacing: When using the dash as a hyphen, it is not spaced.
• Example:
  • “Well-being” (hyphenated word).

4. Hyphen (-)

• Usage: The hyphen is used to join words together (like compound adjectives or words) or to indicate that a word is broken across two lines of text.
• Spacing: Hyphens are always unspaced.
• Example:
  • Correct: “This is a well-known fact.”
  • Incorrect: “This is a well – known fact.”

Summary

• Em Dash (—): Strong breaks, no spaces.
• En Dash (–): Ranges or connections, no spaces.
• Dash (-): Usually synonymous with the hyphen.
• Hyphen (-): Joins words, no spaces.

The 🤠 Wild West Showdown:
A Tale of the Dashes

What would a grammar lesson be without a story to reinforce it?

Chapter One🤠

In the dusty town of Punctuaville, where tumbleweeds rolled, and coyotes howled under the hot sun, four notorious characters lived—Em Dash, En Dash, Dash, and Hyphen. They were known far and wide as the Punctuation Posse, and each had a particular skill and purpose on the team.

Em Dash was the leader of the gang. Tall and imposing, he had a way of cutting through conversations with a sharp, decisive pause that made everyone listen. He was known for his ability to connect ideas in a way that no one else could, often stepping in when a simple comma just wouldn’t do.

One day, Em Dash sat in the local saloon, nursing a glass of comma juice. His long, black coat brushed the floor as he leaned back in his chair, surveying the room with a calm, calculating gaze.

“Word around town is there’s trouble brewing,” said Hyphen, the smallest of the gang but quick as a whip. He had a knack for bringing things together—whether it was splitting up compound words or uniting ideas in a fast-paced conversation.

“I heard the same,” replied En Dash, who was sitting beside him. En Dash was a bit of a wanderer, always connecting places, dates, and numbers. He wasn’t as flashy as Em Dash, but he had a quiet strength that made him essential in any showdown.

Just then, the saloon doors swung open with a creak. Dash walked in, looking like he’d just been through a storm—always in a hurry, always dashing from one place to another. He was the wild card of the group, unpredictable and full of energy.

“Sheriff’s been asking for us,” Dash said, barely catching his breath. “Seems there’s a new gang in town, stirring up trouble—some outlaws from the East Coast. They go by the name of Parentheses.”

Em Dash narrowed his eyes. “Parentheses, huh? They’ve been known to confuse—hiding information and making things unclear. We’ll have to deal with them quickly before they spread chaos.”

The Punctuation Posse gathered their gear and headed out into the blazing sun. The town was eerily quiet as they went to the center, where Sheriff Apostrophe was waiting.

“Glad you could make it,” the Sheriff said, tipping his hat. “These Parentheses outlaws are tricky—they like to sneak in and break up sentences, making folks lose their train of thought.”

“We’ll handle them,” Em Dash said with a nod.

As the clock struck noon, the Parentheses gang appeared on the other side of town, their curved forms casting strange shadows on the ground. They were a sneaky bunch, always working in pairs, ready to isolate information or hide behind other words.

Chapter Two🤠🤠

Em Dash stepped forward. “This town ain’t big enough for the both of us. You Parentheses better clear out before things get ugly.”

But the Parentheses just snickered and closed in, ready to wrap themselves around the Punctuation Posse. The air was thick with tension as both sides prepared to clash.

Suddenly, Hyphen sprang into action, darting between the Parentheses and slicing through their sentences with precision. En Dash followed closely, connecting phrases and ideas with a smooth efficiency that left the outlaws scrambling. Dash, ever quick, dashed through the chaos, disrupting the Parentheses before they could fully take hold.

But it was Em Dash who delivered the final blow. With one swift, unspaced move, he cut through the heart of the gang, leaving them disjointed and defeated.

The Parentheses fled, their once-confident forms reduced to mere whispers in the wind. Thanks to the Punctuation Posse, Punctuaville was safe once again.

-The End-

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