The Special Characters Panel The above shortcuts are all valid ways you can use to type the em dash in Word. An em dash can also separate two independent clauses, just like a semicolon does, though it may feel more casual and signify that the two ideas are quite closely related. I can breathe again. We’ve already talked about when to use a semicolon and their plain-old-colon cousins. Your email address will not be published. How to Write a Synopsis for Your Book: A Guide for Fiction and Nonfiction Writers, 46 Incredible Writing Retreats to Attend in 2020, A Complete Guide to Understanding, Obtaining and Using an ISBN for Your Book, Write About Your Furry Friends: 18 Pet Publications That Want Your Stories, Tools, ebooks and courses, all vetted by our team. Here’s how you can rectify this with a few shortcuts.

Hey presto, you have your very own em dash. But just in case you’re looking for ways to spice up your punctuation, here are a few scenarios in which an em dash is a valid option. Thanks for this, but I’m still having em-dash issues. Ah, the em dash — that multifaceted, all-purpose punctuation mark that can act as a parenthesis, comma, colon, semicolon or even quotation mark.

Although MS Word has long been considered industry standard, many writers have moved on to Google’s free cloud-based word processing platform, Google Docs. When I create an em-dash in MS Word by typing two dashes between words with no spaces, I end up with something that doesn’t look like your examples or published works. We use cookies (your browsing data) to provide content that's helpful to you. “Just trust me on this one, okay?”. In order to put an em dash into your work, navigate to the “Insert” menu, and then select “Special Characters.” Instead of scrolling through the various symbols available to you, you can simply search for “em,” and the dash will come right up. No matter where you do your writing, there’s a trick to ensuring you get the perfect em dash every time! and their plain-old-colon cousins. The first of these is AutoFormat, which is likely already enabled and will automatically create an em dash when you type a double hyphen (–). First comes love, then comes marriage — then comes the $30,000 bill for the wedding. But despite its flexibility, there’s one way in which the em dash is anything but intuitive — and that’s typographically. Go to: Tools>AutoCorrect Options>AutoFormat As You Type> and check the box beside “Hypens (–) with dash (—)” This will convert double hyphens to em-dashes. For instance, if you’re separating an independent clause and a list, an em dash is just as valid an option as a colon.

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Thank you! In the native Mac word processor, Text Edit, you’ll have access to the Emojis & Symbols menu under Edit, which you can browse for the em dash. So now you’ve got everything you need to put em dashes in your own writing — the when, the where and the how. Who says you have to follow, Indeed, em dashes are so versatile it’s hard to find examples wherein they’re truly. Em dashes (—) are powerful characters you can use in your writing to create a long, dramatic pause or place emphasis on a phrase. In order to make AutoFormat change your — to —, you’ll need to type one word before and one word after the double hyphen, without pressing the spacebar until the end. (Yes, I could cram an em-dash into just about every sentence I write if my editors would allow it. The em dash is the one we most associate as a long dash. Here are a few choice picks: Alternatively, you can use the Sticky Notes app to copy and paste this character for added convenience (or copy it from Google). On Windows it's…less simple: you need to use an alt code to get an em dash.

If AutoFormat is not enabled (and you don’t want it to be), you can also find em dashes by navigating to the Insert tab, selecting Symbol, choosing More Symbols, and clicking the em dash on the second row. Em dashes are also particularly useful in setting aside appositives that contain commas, since they offer a less cluttered, more streamlined sentence to the reader. Click on the “Tools” menu, and then click on “Preferences.” At the bottom, you’ll see a tick box next to the words “Automatic substitution.” Ensure it’s toggled on, and then set a command to replace — with — (grab the symbol from the “Special Characters” menu referenced above, and copy/paste it into the right-hand text box). So what are you waiting for? I also use ellipsis a lot and probably more than I should when an em dash would work better. You can’t go wrong with a good em dash — and that’s a fact. Privacy Policy. If you want to benefit from the em dash without littering your manuscript with double hyphens (–), here’s what you need to know. Ridiculously complicated. If you — like me — use Google Docs almost exclusively and love your em dashes, I’d recommend creating an automatic substitution command. your em dashes, I’d recommend creating an automatic substitution command. See our privacy policy for details.

The words are crammed right up against the ends of the em-dash rather than having a nice spaced look. It’s simple to use an em dash on Mac computers. If you have a numeric keyboard, hold down the Alt key and type 0151 for an em dash or 0150 for an en dash. Who says you have to follow grammar rules?!). If you’re operating on a Mac, the basic instructions for MS Word and Google Docs above should still apply — though you’ll have different keyboard shortcuts. If you — like me — use Google Docs almost exclusively and. It’s possible to force spaces by using the Insert function you describe, but should I? Thanks for this.

Jamie Cattanach (@jamiecattanach) is a writer whose work has been featured at Fodor’s, Yahoo, SELF, Ms. Magazine, the Establishment, Roads & Kingdoms and other outlets. By subscribing you agree to our Terms of Use and We still aren’t sure if the manuscript is going to be accepted — we’re in a rather nail-bitey mood as of late.

To type an em dash, hold down the Shift and Option keys and press the Minus key. Alternatively, press the Hyphen key twice and press Space. Now you can get the top stories from Lifehacker delivered to your inbox. I cannot tell you how many times I have searched online for how to insert an em dash in Google docs and never found this! Learn how your comment data is processed. :-}. There’s several ways to insert an em dash on PC, but not every technique will work for you. Em dashes are wonderful inventions and great for proving a point. In many cases, an em dash can be subbed in for either of these punctuation marks. Portland is a city where the weather — by which we mean rain, and a lot of it — can be a detractor for those who are susceptible to seasonal affective disorder. Hey presto, you have your very own em dash.

The em dash is a long dash that sets off related words or phrases that aren’t as intimately related to the rest of the sentence but that the writer wants to emphasize — like I’m doing here. If you’re currently using a Windows machine, it’s a bit more complicated. If there were ever a competition for the most versatile punctuation mark, the em dash  would without doubt be a front runner for the title. In some style guides, this is preferred to using an em-dash without … In order to put an em dash into your work, navigate to the “Insert” menu, and then select “Special Characters.” Instead of scrolling through the various symbols available to you, you can simply search for “em,” and the dash will come right up. Required fields are marked *. Leah Williams is a writer specialising in video games & entertainment. Learning to use proper punctuation — including periods, commas, question marks and more—will make you into a much stronger writer. If the type-size you’re using is 12px, then your em dash will be 12px in length. Next time you need that added ‘oomph’ in your sentence, crack out one of these bad boys. Just as you use parentheses to set aside auxiliary information (like this), you can use em dashes for the same purpose. If you’re like most of the writers we know, chances are you’re already comfortable employing this enigmatic piece of punctuation— if anything, you use it too much. In Word, you’ll hold down Shift+ Option+minus rather than the Ctrl+Alt+minus mentioned above. It’s used in so many manners: to separate clauses that still want to be close friends; to create asides or add emphasis or signal amplification or denote interruption. Am I doing something wrong?

“Shh,” he interrupted her, grinning. You never have to go menu hunting for em dashes again. then select Ω in the emoji keyboard — from here you can find and insert your em dash, Hold down ALT + type 0151 then release the alt key (this may not work on all Windows PCs), If you’re using Microsoft Word, you can set two (-) dashes to auto-correct to an em dash (—). Indeed, em dashes are so versatile it’s hard to find examples wherein they’re truly wrong. However, where parentheses cast the information very much as an aside, em dashes have a tendency to emphasize the information — so be sure you choose wisely. Your email address will not be published. However, in this program, dual hyphens stay dual hyphens by default. It can also be used to show an interruption in dialogue. When writing narratives or dialogue, em dashes become even more useful; they can help you bring a reader into the scene by displaying interruptions or changes in tone. Whether you’re typing away on Microsoft word or in the backend of a CMS there’s plenty of ways to summon this special character. In printing or character display on a screen, “em” is a unit of measurement roughly equal to the height of the font being used.

Thanks. Get writing!

All you need to do is hold down the following keys: ALT + SHIFT + MINUS.

I had resorted to finding an em dash from another source, copying and pasting it into my own doc, and then changing the font to match my doc. Command (⌘) + M Type this sign on Mac, press and hold the Command (⌘) key and the hit the M key. All you need to do is hold down the following keys: ALT + SHIFT + MINUS.

While a standard keyboard allows you use a regular dash (-), it may not have the impact or excitement you intend. I was afraid I was overloading my writing with em dashes and it’s welcome news that it appears I am not. If you’re currently using a Windows machine, it’s a bit more complicated.

Example: hocus–pocus (space) becomes hocus—pocus. If you are on mac, below is a shortcut to help you type the em dash sign in Word. To type an en dash, hold down the Option key and press the Minus key. Finally, there’s also a keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+Alt+minus, where Num Lock is enabled and you’re utilizing the minus symbol on your numeric keypad. One of the most popular word processors on the market, MS Word offers users a variety of ways to make an em dash appear. It is mostly used stylistically to replace commas, colons, and parentheses. Ta-da! (Yes, I could cram an em-dash into just about every sentence I write if my editors would allow it. With such a wide range of acceptable applications, an em dash might seem easy to use. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. It’s simple to use an em dash on Mac computers.



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