However, short parenthetical expressions should not use the em dashes, as this takes away from the original statement. This use allows you to make it stand out from the rest of the sentence, or highlight questions and exclamations. The class has grown through the years - allowing for incredible growth opportunities and expansion into other school districts - making it the success story of the community.Įm dashes can set off a parenthetical expression if it is long or already internally punctuated, or if you want to add emphasis and drama to the sentence. The students - because they cared about their education, responsibilities, and future careers even when others doubted them - surprised everyone when they saw the value in the class. When internal punctuation already exists: The class - not initially expected to be popular - had students from all four grade levels enrolled by the end of the first day!Įm dashes can set off a nonessential modifier when already internally punctuated or if you want to add emphasis or drama. Some students in the class - for example, an athlete, artist, and musician - served as an example of good time management. The teacher - a 20-year veteran of the classroom concerned about the shape of current education - began offering an alternative course based on student accountability. I cannot believe how dramatic she has been lately - I can’t even deal with it right now!Įm dashes can set off a nonessential appositive if it is long, when it is already internally punctuated, or when you want to add emphasis or drama. I was deciding whether to travel cross country by car or train or book plane tickets - that took days to determine which was the best cost for our family. To introduce the start of a summary statement:
#Em dash shortcut microsoft word movie#
The movie - only the greatest ever made! - was released back into theatres for an extra three-week viewing. To set off interrupting ideas dramatically: Words such as these, this, that, or all often begin a summary sentence when preceded by a dash. Use an em dash to indicate where a dramatic interrupting idea, summary statement, or abrupt change of thought occurs. The em dash creates more emphasis and brings attention to the words it offsets. It is longer than an en dash and three times as long as a hyphen and works similar to commas and parentheses. Em dashes set apart parenthetical phrases or clauses in a sentence.