Uses for the Dash

The dash is a legitimate and effective mark of punctuation when used according to accepted conventions. As an emphatic punctuation mark, however, the dash loses effectiveness when it is overused. In typewritten or simple word processing-generated material, a dash is formed by typing two hyphens with no space before, between, or after the hyphens. In printed or desktop publishing-generated material, a dash appears as a solid line (an em dash) Here are suggestions for and illustrations of appropriate uses of the dash.

1. To Set Off Parenthetical Elements
Within a sentence, parenthetical elements are usually set off by commas. If, however, the parenthetical element itself contains internal commas, use dashes (or parentheses) to set it off.

Sources of raw materials-farming, mining, fishing, and forestry- are all dependent on energy.
Four administrative assistants-Priscilla Alvarez, Jaja Daprosa, Joseph Yuga, and Edward Tan-received cash bonuses for outstanding performance in their departments.


2. To Indicate an Interruption.
An interruption or abrupt change of thought may be separated from the rest of a sentence by a dash.

The shipment will be on its way-you have my word-by Wednesday.
Send the disks by Friday-no, we must have them sooner.

Sentences with abrupt changes of thought or with appended afterthoughts can usually be improved through rewriting.

3. To Set off a Summarizing Statement
Use a dash (not a colon) to separate an introductory list from a summarizing statement.

Variety of tasks, contact with people, opportunity for advancement-these are what I seek in a job.
Running, playing tennis, and reading-those are Bill's favorite pastimes.

4. To Attribute a Quotation
Place a dash between a quotation and its source.

"English is the language of men ever famous and foremost in the achievements of liberty."-John Milton
"A man has no worse enemy than himself."-Cicero