Dashes

A dash – is longer than a hyphen and has a space on each side. One dash adds a pause before a surprise or an extra detail; a pair of dashes adds extra information in the middle of a sentence. I opened the box – it was empty!

Key facts

  • A single dash adds a pause before a surprise or extra detail: He had one dream – to fly. A pair of dashes adds extra information in the middle: My uncle – a famous chef – cooked dinner.
  • A dash is longer than a hyphen and has a space on each side; a hyphen is short, with no spaces.

Worked examples

Example 1

Add a dash: I opened the box it was empty!

  1. The surprise is it was empty!
  2. Put the dash before it, with a space on each side: I opened the box – it was empty!

Answer: I opened the box – it was empty!

Example 2

Add a pair of dashes: My uncle a famous chef cooked dinner.

  1. a famous chef is extra information in the middle of the sentence.
  2. Put a dash on each side of it: My uncle – a famous chef – cooked dinner.

Answer: My uncle – a famous chef – cooked dinner.

Example 3

Hyphen or dash? We waited and waited ___ nobody came.

  1. The mark separates two parts of the sentence and adds a pause before the surprise.
  2. That is a dash: We waited and waited – nobody came.

Answer: a dash –, with a space on each side

Example 4

Which sentence uses a dash correctly? The film was long-but good. or The film was long – but good.

  1. A dash is longer than a hyphen and has a space on each side.
  2. The film was long – but good.

Answer: The film was long – but good.

Example 5

Rewrite with a dash so that the ending is a surprise: We ran to the station, but the train had already gone.

  1. A dash makes the reader pause before the last part.
  2. We ran to the station – the train had already gone.

Answer: We ran to the station – the train had already gone.

Example 6

Use a dash for effect: I opened the letter. It was from the Queen.

  1. Joining the clauses with a dash creates a pause.
  2. The pause makes the surprise land harder.

Answer: I opened the letter – it was from the Queen.