em dash
Longest horizontal punctuation
An em dash is a punctuation mark (—) roughly the width of a capital M.
It sets off parenthetical elements with more emphasis than commas or parentheses: The answer—if there was one—eluded him.
Em dashes can also mark interrupted speech or introduce an explanation.
Unlike hyphens or en dashes, the em dash creates a dramatic pause or abrupt shift in thought.
Brief theatrical digression
- interjectionEmotional outcry word class
- digressionVeering off topic
- parentheticalSet off by punctuation
- tangentLine touching curve once
afterthought · insertion · break-in · cut-off · abruptness · disruption · detour · departure
Mark joining compound words
- colonLarge intestine section
- semicolonPunctuation joining related clauses
- commaPunctuation marking pauses
- periodPunctuation ending sentences
ellipsis · parentheses · brackets · quotation marks · apostrophe · exclamation point · question mark · typography
Spoken exchange between parties
- quotationCited passage or price
- saidVerbally expressed, past tense
- attributionAssigning origin or cause
- conversationExchange of spoken ideas
transcript · interview · screenplay · script
Intentional silence for emphasis
- revelationSurprising disclosed truth
- climaxPoint of greatest intensity
- punch lineJoke's culminating moment
- buildupGradual accumulation over time
tension · suspense · impact · surprise · flourish · declaration · announcement · spotlight
Reaches across a gap
- datesCalendar numbers or courtship
- scoresAchieves points; many
- routesPaths for travel
- time periodsDesignated stretches of duration
page numbers · intervals · connections · pairings · versus
aside
Brief theatrical digression
- interjectionEmotional outcry word class
- digressionVeering off topic
- parentheticalSet off by punctuation
tangent · afterthought · insertion · break-in · cut-off · abruptness · disruption · detour · departure · side note
hyphen
Mark joining compound words
- colonLarge intestine section
- semicolonPunctuation joining related clauses
- commaPunctuation marking pauses
period · ellipsis · parentheses · brackets · quotation marks · apostrophe · exclamation point · question mark · typography · typeset
dialogue
Spoken exchange between parties
- quotationCited passage or price
- saidVerbally expressed, past tense
- attributionAssigning origin or cause
conversation · transcript · interview · screenplay · script
dramatic pause
Intentional silence for emphasis
- revelationSurprising disclosed truth
- climaxPoint of greatest intensity
- punch lineJoke's culminating moment
buildup · tension · suspense · impact · surprise · flourish · declaration · announcement · spotlight · amplification
spans
Reaches across a gap
time periods · page numbers · intervals · connections · pairings · versus
- writingwriting, drafting, authors, author, books
- punctuationperiod, comma, colon, apostrophe, semicolon
- symbolssymbols, runes, symbol, asterisks, national symbol
- writing rulespunctuation, capitalization, spelling, apostrophes, commas
- dasheshyphen, sprint
- Style GuideAP style, MLA style, house style, editorial guidelines, formatting