A dash is a punctuation mark that resembles a hyphen, but longer. An em dash or a pair of em dashes may indicate a sudden break in thought or sentence structure or an interruption in dialogue. The main use of em dashes is to set off extra information in a sentence. It shows continuity between numbers and indicates that a multiword term is part of a compound adjective: “The conference runs January 2–3”; “The Pulitzer Prize–winning journalists were applauded. The hyphen is used to connect words, such as in compound adjectives or to divide words at the end of a line. is omitted in deference to the question mark". Em dashes are used to replace commas, parentheses, colons, and semicolons. In the "Text" tab you will find the list of substitutions. (An em dash, or long dash, is used: in pairs, to mark off information or ideas that are not essential to an. Incorrect. The em dash, or long dash, is the only punctuation mark on a keyboard that. AP style calls for a space on both sides of an em dash, but most other styles, including MLA and APA, omit the spaces. Then, after you press the space bar after the word after the dash, most word processing programs will turn those two little hyphens‐‐into an em dash—like so. The example I saw comes from a tweet, reproduced here for convenience: "For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior—not a divine social justice warrior, not a liberation. ] There’s even more explanation: If the break belongs to the surrounding sentence rather than to the quoted material, the em dashes must appear outside the quotation marks. When a pair of em dashes sets off material ending with an exclamation point or a question mark, the mark is placed inside the dashes. Hyphens are used to create compound words like: Load-bearing; Well-loved; Great-looking; Less-commonly used punctuation marks Interrobang. There is a space before the first period and after the last period. A hyphen (-) is shorter still. There are three options: Period. Em dash is an impressively versatile punctuation mark that can take the place of commas, parentheses, or colons, depending on the context. There are also some other rules regarding what to do if the title includes a question mark, ellipsis, or a colon already. When typing, use two hyphens together without spaces to form a dash. For example: C++ is a rich language—one requiring extensive experience to fully understand. The em dash is a versatile mark used to define, explain, and insert material. I am thinking the product_code value may actually contain an -en-dash- or an -em-dash- or something other than 0x2D that is getting displayed correctly (somehow) with the combination of CubeCart, PHP, the web server and the web browser. Numeric Keypad: Windows allows the user to type any available character, including diacritical marks, by holding down one of the Alt keys while typing in a numeric code on the numeric keypad, if one is available. Example. 1月—7月 "January to July", which can also be written 1月到7月, with the character 到 in place of the dash). Infographic: How to use an em dash. Some writers even use three or more exclamation points, lest the reader not fully grasp the significance of what is being said. Modern Japanese uses the question mark in the same way English speakers do to denote a question, be it typed or handwritten. Dashes. The English language has several easily-confused horizontal-line punctuation symbols: Hyphen: –. In the image below (1) is a hyphen, (2) is an en dash and (3) is the em dash. Make sure you switch on the Num Lock from the keyboard and you type the number from the Numpad and not from the top row of the keyboard. The em dash is perhaps the most versatile punctuation mark. Spaniards actually have a bit of a hard time when learning those alternative uses in. S. Em Dashes. 51). The em-dash would indicate something like raising the eyebrows right at the end, or tilting the head down and looking up from under the. An em dash (—) is used to mark an interruption, as mentioned above (“What the—”), or material set off parenthetically from the main point—like this. In English, there is no space between the word preceding the punctuation mark and the punctuation mark itself. Em dashes for interruptions: Use em dashes when you are interrupting the main idea of a sentence. Dashes are used to separate groups of words, not to separate parts of words like a hyphen does. It is shorter than an em-dash and longer than a hyphen. Punctuation Marks Wheel : This 2-page print-out makes a punctuation marks wheel; it consists of a base page together with a wheel that spins around. To be effective, the exclamation point should be used in moderation. In French, the period is not used after abbreviations of measurement: 25 m (mètres), 12 min (minutes), etc. The British practice (followed in most of the world) is to put the. The em dash does not mean pause. 89), would be to only use an em dash after a period if the period marked an abbreviation: An em dash derives its name from being the approximate width of a capital M. There are two alternatives: (1) shitted, which appears about once for every instance of shat; and (2) shit, uninflected in the past tense. However, despite its flexibility, it can only be used. Em-dashes. To create an em-dash on a Windows computer, hold down the [Alt] key and type 0151 on the numeric keypad. It is wider than an en dash (–) or a hyphen (-). The em dash triggers readers’ brains to insert a slightly longer pause, which can aid in reading comprehension. They are: the period, question mark, exclamation point, comma, colon, semicolon, dash, hyphen, brackets, braces, parentheses, apostrophe, quotation mark, and ellipsis. The employee, hoping to go home early, rushed her tasks. They also establish a relationship between words and ideas. You can use it at the end of a broken-off phrase, or if a. 2. ” Em dashes are the most versatile, nuanced, and. Follow the end quotation mark with an em dash and the action or thought and then another em dash. On a PC, the em-dash is made by holding down the ALT key and typing 0151 on the number pad. Joined: May 14, 2009. It has three primary functions: to connect two words and make them into a compound, to separate parts of a word at the end of a line, and to separate a prefix or suffix from a root word. CORRECT: The score right now is 3–1. It is a versatile punctuation mark that can take the place of commas, parentheses, colons, and semicolons in sentences. On a Windows-based system, you can form an em dash on a keyboard by holding down the Alt key and typing 0151. Comments. m. Identify the sentence that is punctuated correctly. For example: It depends on one thing — trust. A hyphen (-) is shorter still. That may occasionally appear in old writing, where em dashes after commas and semicolons are more common. Two types of dashes are used in punctuation: the em-dash (—) and the en-dash (–). When using an em dash, it is important to consider the spacing around it. ellipses —Ellipses are three periods that indicate an omission within a quoted sentence or fragment of a sentence. Note: When the second clause expands on or explains the first, the colon is the better mark. Edit: I wrote this sentence just for the question, actually hoping to avoid being bogged down by too much context, but since the first commenter felt it was lacking, I've adjusted the text a little bit. En dashes can be used to separate a date range or span of time. Discussion in 'Word Mechanics' started by Bone2pick, Dec 12, 2022. k. In particular, do not use the colon-dash (:—) to introduce a quotation or a list. This means we only use one em dash instead of two when the interruption comes at. 2] In braille, a dash is represented by dots 6, 36 (,-). Here are the code points for the Unicode dashes that are of the Common script, along with their general categories. This is a good example of when to use such as dash in a sentence. That should explain it. [4] 3. ”. Use em-dash for denoting a break or a clarification within a sentence: “Three authors—John Grisham, Danielle Steele, John Updike—have between them written eighty-nine books. 3. Perhaps a door was closed on the speaker’s face, cutting off her sentence. Em dash character is not a part of ASCII character set. Periods (), question marks, exclamation marks, and commas are used as in English. The dash works somewhat like parentheses or commas, but it is used where a stronger punctuation is needed. apostrophe. The em is the longest in the dash suite. If you type in two hyphens/minus without a space before or after, most word processors automatically convert it into an em dash. Guion y raya (Hyphen and Em-dash) 9. The “slightly different” part is, to me, the em dash’s appeal summarized. There are enough exceptions to this general rule, however, to warrant the following chart, which shows nearly all of the scenarios you are likely to face. However, it depends on the usage and meaning. C-----. If you want to make your writing easier to read and generally look more professional, you should know what. Don’t confuse it with a hyphen (-). . An em dash can be used for the same purpose. , accordingly, consequently, for example, nevertheless, so, thus). Etc. In general, the em dash is seen as being more interruptive or striking than other. Interrupters—like this right here—are words, phrases, or clauses that break the flow of writing. ’ — Eleanor Roosevelt. Mark said: “I am confused if I should finish them with one of the final stop punctuation marks (when, as I read, 1- every sentence must be finished by an appropriate punctuation mark [the final stop], and 2- neither the dash nor the ellipsis are the final stop punctuation marks). In addition, write the punctuation mark next to your translation. Your example is (almost) a perfect illustration. You can use a semi-colon to separate list items when an "item" is a list in itself. The correct use of em-dashes and ellipses. [Emphasis mine. It is similar in appearance to the hyphen but is longer and sometimes higher from the baseline. The good news is that the ACT isn’t going to test you on the differences between the two. The Mac command to make an em dash. This makes them a useful punctuation mark when we want to convey an argument or rapid back-and-forth dialogue between characters. 88 Em dashes with “that is,” “namely,” “for example,” and similar expressions; 6. The em dash (—) is a versatile punctuation mark used to enhance the readability and clarity of written text. In fiction, the em dash almost always appears with no spaces around it. ManhattanMss New Member. Hence, 12/5/2010 means December 5, 2010, in American usage. Notice in these examples, the em-dash has no spaces around it, while the en-dash does. Mabel tried, despite her. When using an em dash, it is important to consider the spacing around it. I am thinking the product_code value may actually contain an -en-dash- or an -em-dash- or something other than 0x2D that is getting displayed correctly (somehow) with the combination of CubeCart, PHP, the web server and the web browser. Punctuation is the tool that allows us to organize our thoughts and make it easier to review and share our ideas. It can separate independent clauses. This suggests that a question mark is "stronger" than a period and is the mark that is retained. Em dash shortcut 3 (Mac): If you are on mac, below is a shortcut to help you type the em dash sign in Word. "SAMPLE - TEXT". The em dash shows the break in thought and is clean and abrupt. An en dash is always used without any space before or after it. En & Em Dashes While sometimes used in other styles to indicate a range of time, AP Style does not use en dashes. the first word of a subtitle. Notwithstanding its versatility, the em dash is best limited to two appearances per sentence. Capitalization rules. Look at it. In terms of punctuation marks like this, the em dash is the most extended dash, which can replace parentheses, colons, and commas. Usage: The em dash is used to indicate interruptions, emphasize elements, set off appositives, replace colons or semicolons, or create breaks in sentence flow. An em-dash can be used alone, as in this example from the online The Punctuation Guide: After months of deliberation, the jurors reached a unanimous verdict—guilty. Do not put a space before or after the dash. ) You can achieve that. " I know you can replace em dashes with — and n-dashes with – (which should be done on the input side of your database); I don't know what the correct replacement for the smart quotes would be. 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. For example, with mo—n for 'more than', the dash is likely to be written at x-height. I'm working on being able to read transcripts of dialogue into R. En dash. Question Mark (?) In grammar, a question mark is a familiar punctuation used to end interrogative sentences. The em dash is created by typing two hyphens on a computer keyboard. However, the semicolon, colon, dash, question mark, and exclamation point fall outside of the quotation marks (unless, of course, the quoted material has internal punctuation of its own). Windows. I now seem to be able to do this if I type a character - any character - after the dash, then type the curly end quote mark, and then backspace. " A Word, Please: A look at the em dash, the hyphen and their rarely seen cousin, the. 1月—7月 "January to July", which can also be written 1月到7月, with the character 到 in place of the dash). Note that in British English, the punctuation marks only go inside of the quotation marks if the punctuation is part of the quoted material, although many writers make an exception for periods. Em dashes are most often used in pairs to call a reader’s attention to the material they set off, making words, phrases, or clauses particularly dramatic or emotional. Perhaps the most versatile punctuation mark, the em dash can take the place of commas, parentheses, or colons. Em dash —, in Windows, with the number keypad: Alt (hold)+ 0 1 5 1. 89 Em dashes with other punctuation; 6. I also tried powertoys keyboard manager Remap Shortcut, but it. Dash: Dashes set off a series within a phrase: “Of the many breakfast options — omelets, waffles, pastries — he only wanted coffee”; indicate a break in thought: “Felipe’s is a popular eatery — in Harvard Square”; or attribute a quotation to an author: “‘You must do the thing you think you cannot do. The question mark needs to go after Language. –5:00 p. the question mark. hphen – en dash – em dash — 2-em dash —— 3-em dash ———. This measurement is. Type the keyboard shortcut or caret code into the Find what text box (see figure 4). [Emphasis mine. C-----. En dashes are slightly shorter than an em dash and are used to connect numbers and words: 2000–2020, Paris–London, the score was 5–3. 1986–1998Tip. Deploy single quote marks used for quotes within dialogue. em-dash — Long hyphen (—) named em-dash because the dash historically is the length of a lowercase m. pages 11–23. g. Write an en dash. Punctuation Em-dash before question mark. )6. In informal writing, feet and inches are sometimes expressed as, for example, 5′ 10″ (read: five feet and ten inches). They are: the period, question mark, exclamation point, comma, colon, semicolon, dash, hyphen, brackets, braces, parentheses, apostrophe, quotation mark, and ellipsis. This is really useful if you're a few words over the 650 word limit and need to trim a bit. You may see an EN dash used in the same way as the EM dash. If it helps, picture the em dash superimposed on the letter “M” and the en dash superimposed on the “N. g. Technically, the mark designating feet is a prime; the mark designating inches is a double prime. The difference between a parenthetical comment using parentheses, and one using em dashes, is probably a matter of style. 6. In English writing, quotation marks or inverted commas, also known informally as quotes, talking marks, speech marks, quote marks, quotemarks or speechmarks, are punctuation marks placed on either side of a word or phrase in order to identify it as a quotation, direct speech or a literal title or name. The em dash indicates a shift in Isaac's mood. “I didn’t expect to — “An em dash or a pair of em dashes may indicate a sudden break in thought or sentence structure or an interruption in dialogue. For instance, you would render a character named Mr. Aether still appears as a poetic affectation, especially in reference to the word’s ancient Greek and Latin senses, but. Go to the system preferences and choose "Language & Text". The shift from em dash to en dash reflects contemporary writing practice and the new focus on digital content. ColonsFrom The Punctuation Guide : “The em dash is perhaps the most versatile punctuation mark. Follow the end quotation mark with an em dash and the action or thought and then another em dash. m. In almost every instance, you should place the footnote marker after the punctuation. This little symbol is beloved. Em dashes can replace ellipses to show an abrupt break in a conversation. Resume the dialogue with another opening quotation mark, complete the dialogue, and end with a period and a closing quotation mark. Type another word. Two em dashes can be used to indicate missing portions of a word, whether unknown or intentionally omitted. When print spacing or font types make it difficult to determine the length of the line, remember that hyphens join words and word parts together and dashes separate thoughts or ideas. The raya (em-dash) usually indicates separation; for example, it signals interventions of. b) The Kingdom of Bahrain has a settled well-educated population. The raya is used to clarify something, in a similar way to parentheses. Insert em Dash. 5. If you're including terminal punctuation (period, question mark, exclamation mark), your speaker's sentence isn't being interrupted, so you wouldn't use em dashes at all. There are two common types of dashes. Enclose the first part of the dialogue in quotation marks but omit the comma. If you’re adding extra information to clarify a sentence, you’re using a parenthetical expression. Em dashes can also signal an interruption or a sudden change in the direction a writer was heading with a particular sentence. 86 Em dash between noun and pronoun; 6. en-dash — Midsized hyphen (–) named en-dash because the dash historically is the length of a lowercase m. And be careful to not mix different punctuation marks. Go to the system preferences and choose "Language & Text". Don’t overthink it—let intuition guide you. What ‽ When your sentence calls for a question mark and an exclamation mark, the interrobang is the punctuation mark you need. Question marks, exclamation points, and em dashes can go inside or outside the quotation mark, depending on whether they’re part of the quote or not. How to easily type various punctuation signs (§ ¶ ‽) using. The em dash (—) is a versatile punctuation mark used to enhance the readability and clarity of written text. Few keyboards have a dash, but a word processor can usually produce one in one way or another. But in that case the dash is supposed to be the length of the omitted word, not just a mere em-dash. Em dashes can be used similarly to parentheses and commas, however, they are usually considered. The en dash is less well known than. Those textual examples presented by Chicago that use dashes all use em dashes—and there is no space between the dash and the epigraph's source attribution. If you’re looking for the answer — or just wondering what an em dash is — learn how (and when) to use an em dash correctly here. The ellipsis suggests that Isaac cannot concentrate. I think the real question is whether it's allowed. Within moments of our first interaction — over. 90 Em dashes and line breaks; 6. , the India–Pakistan issue) To extend sentences just like colons, semicolons, and three dots (e. There is nothing wrong — informally at least — with using a dash after a question. The San Diego–Las Vegas flight is on time. • Dashes are often used to introduce an. NOTE: An em dash is not a hyphen. However I run into a bump with special characters like curly quotes en and em dashes etc. An em dash is the width of the letter "m" in the font and type size being used, and should never be used in place of an en dash or hyphen. And like a colon, it can introduce a word or a clause that describes or expands upon what precedes it. 7. Don’t use end quotes between paragraphs of speech. The en dash is a punctuation mark that is slightly longer than a hyphen (-) but shorter than an em dash (—). But instead of eating the period, the em dash will completely bail when they’re about to meet up. The conventions for dialogue allow a narrator to “interrupt” the speakers at any time and for any reason. So:Figure 1. The en dash (–) → which is like a slightly longer hyphen. MLA doesn't touch on more than 2 subtitles; however, there is a syntax for a work with more than one title which makes use of ; or, as the delimiter, so perhaps stay away from using semicolons. Period, question mark, exclamation mark, comma. | Grammar The em dash performs a versatile function to help separate certain words from the rest of a sentence. It gets its name from its size which is the. You will only be tested on the rules of the em dash, which is what we’ll cover here. ” Correct. As its name suggests, an em dash (—) is roughly the length of the letter M, while an en dash (–) more closely matches an N. To illustrate, I’m going to reproduce the first sentence of this paragraph, but with a semicolon:Question Marks, Exclamation Points, and Em Dashes. However, some style guides, such as the Associated Press. Some methods for forming these punctuation marks on a PC: En dash—hold down the Alt key and type 0150 on the numeric keypad. While the em dash is used to indicate a sudden break or interruption in a sentence, the en dash is primarily used to show a range or connection between two elements. Depending on the context, the em dash can take the place of commas, parentheses, or colons—in each case to slightly different effect. 47 Punctuation with em dash. 157). You can use such punctuation as periods, commas, semi-colons, colons, parentheses, brackets, quotation marks, dashes, exclamation points, question marks and some others. When it comes at the end of a list, put a comma before it if you use the serial comma and don’t if you don’t use the serial comma. You would simply end the line of dialogue, have a sentence of narration, and then have a new line of dialogue, even if it's the same speaker continuing. In addition, write the punctuation mark next to your translation. Hyphen A handy guide full of rules and examples so you can use the hyphen with confidence. 92 Em dashes in lists, indexes, and tables;. He worked in his office-cum-dining room. “What are you talking about—wait, Johnny said it was Maria!”. Some word processing programs read the two hyphens automatically as the single mark of punctuation known as. Please read pages 70–77 in your text. Type another word. However, if the punctuation mark is a dash (i. figure dash – 8211: 2013 – en dash — 8212: 2014 — em dash ― 8213: 2015 : horizontal bar ‖ 8214: 2016 : double vertical line ‗ 8215: 2017 : double low line ‘ 8216: 2018 ‘ left single quotation mark ’ 8217: 2019 ’ right single quotation mark ‚ 8218: 201a ‚ single low-9 quotation mark ‛ 8219: 201b. Technically the question mark is a full stop and, like an exclamation point, has its own. U+1F67D. They also can be used to focus a reader or highlight tone within a. First, there are two kinds of dashes, called en dashes and em dashes. 857k 235 1581 1959. 2. In the case of an actual question being asked I feel the mark would go before the em-dash. In example 4, the 1st quote should be a complete sentence or an ellipse followed by a new paragraph describing Bob's face, followed by another paragraph with Peter's response. Household appliances such as refrigerators and microwaves are. An em dash is longer than the en. The Latin preposition cum means “combined with,” “also used as,” or “along with being. An em dash is often used to indicate a break in thought in a sentence. 4. For Windows, press Ctrl+Alt +Minus (-) or Alt+0151. On Macs, the long dash symbol situation is much easier. Examples. What is the difference between en and em dashes? The shorter en dash (–) is used to mark ranges and with the meaning “to” in phrases like “Dover–Calais crossing. • Dashes are often used to introduce an abrupt change of thought, while parentheses add information. This is a common editing mark and has several uses, but its primary purpose is to separate clauses and huge parts of the sentence. Example: apple orchard–scented candle. Notwithstanding its versatility, the em dash is best limited to two appearances per sentence. fiscal year 2020–21. En-dash: An en-dash is wider than a hyphen but narrower than an em-dash. The em dash is also used for denoting an incomplete speech. A colon is quieter; a dash is more emphatic and dramatic. If you want more design. They are usually used in two different ways. For degrees, use a space between the en dash and the degree and the emphasis. How to Create Em Dashes and En Dashes: Em dash (—) Ctrl+Alt+minus (far. (stenoscript) The dash may be written low, along the baseline, or high, at x-height, as convenient for whichever letters it links to. Typesetters will most likely try to track you down and beat you to death if they. " Wikipedia has a descent overview on dashes, especially noting the differnet ways to reflect either and em-dash or an en-dash. The en dash is spaced so screen readers don’t mistake an unspaced en for a hyphen. Use an em dash to join independent clauses. We use ellipses to indicate omissions of words, phrases, or even whole sentences. (stenoscript) The dash may be written low, along the baseline, or high, at x-height, as convenient for whichever letters it links to. Fiber is the preferred spelling in American English, and fibre is preferred in all the other main varieties of English. Who doesn’t like dashes as emphasis techniques? Just consider the. Examples. The quotation marks indicating Isaac's thoughts emphasize his uncertainty about the future. “November Cotton Flower” by Jean. The general rule is that a sentence ends with only one terminal punctuation mark. The em dash is primarily used to emphasize or add additional information to a. But it is necessary first to make the difference between a hyphen, and an em dash vs en dash. Mabel tried, despite her dolefulness—for how could she be otherwise?—to bake her own bread but each loaf that emerged from her oven tasted vaguely of tears. If you need to indicate that someone pauses in speech, say "John paused". ”. It can either become: Woman: without her, man is nothing. In 3, the dash is used in place of a comma, since the change in tone is occuring at the same time as the dialog is being spoken, or near enough that it's the same action. Don’t overthink it—let intuition guide you. 6 Dash [UEB §7. EM dashes are wonderful if used correctly in poetry, but not in stories (especially being useless around question marks). Comments. Upon firing the company’s non-salaried employees—and. Looking at the other commend where u/xlrod has a fix; what you have instead is char 65533 or - not a question mark, but a placeholder Unicode "I dunno what this is" character - that suggests your export wasn't right, and has mangled some characters. (I would even have removed to in that construction, so that the parallel starts at the verbs assume and become. This type of dash is used to indicate a range, especially between numerical quantities like scores and dates. The dash is a great way to indicate an abrupt change of thought or a parenthetical statement, and sometimes this may be useful after a question is complete. In short: the em-dash cannot be used in Spanish like any of those English examples, except perhaps 2(a). Use a dash instead of a comma when you want to strongly set off an idea. The en dash is twice as long as a hyphen and is most commonly used to signify a range between two words or numbers, for example the date range: 1990-2014. em. 6. A dash is used to separate part of a sentence and indicate a break. And Words into Type, third edition (1974), without referring explicitly to dashes, also agrees: Direct questions. Comma. Clark went to the Miami Heat – Boston Celtics game. There are specific rules for punctuating that, too: StutterThe Function of the Em Dash The em dash ( — ) is usually an alternative to another punctuation mark. An alternative way of displaying speech is via the em dash. Examine these useful hyphen, em dash and en dash examples. 91 Em dashes in lieu of quotation marks; 6. For example, don’t use a dash to begin the interrupter and a comma. Picture the em dash the same width as the letter “M” and the en dash the same width as the letter “N. Mac. It indicates a longer pause than a comma and a semicolon. The em dash is perhaps the most versatile punctuation mark. In the image below (1) is a hyphen, (2) is an en dash and (3) is the em dash. The question mark can be followed with a dash where necessary: He left—would you believe it?—immediately after the ball. In fiction, as in other kinds of writing, you'll still want to use the em dash to indicate. Parentheses diminish the importance of a phrase, while dashes enhance it. To properly use the em dash, spaces should not be placed around it unless the text is being italicized. ” Originally, typewriters had monospaced fonts (skinny letters and fat letters. Share. 2. Question marks, exclamation points, and dashes fall inside or outside closing quotations. W he n u sed i n pl a ce o f p a rentheses at t he end of a sentence, only a single dash is used. An em dash is a punctuation mark that can be used to replace commas, parentheses, colons, and semicolons. An em dash (—) is the longest of the three dashes and can be used to set off a break in the sentence, as well as add emphasis. Resume the dialogue with another opening quotation mark, complete the dialogue, and end with a period and a closing quotation mark. Both spellings are many centuries old, and neither spelling was clearly prevalent on either side of the Atlantic until the second half of the 18th century. EM-DASH (–) – with this punctuation mark, you can introduce an explanation or specification, make a break in thought, or separate two parts of the sentence. ) To offset additional information just like commas and. But the most important use of dashes in dialogue is to show one speaker interrupting another. An em dash derives its name from being the approximate width of a capital M. If you want to stop -- from being turned into — (emdash) you need to use the + button and add a new rule to replace -- with -- (replace with itself) Or, right click in a text field and go to "Substitutions" and disable "Smart. A Hebrew period in a traditional serif face usually looks like a tiny tilted square (a diamond; ).