Transcript Hyphens and Dashes

UWF Writing Lab
• The hyphen (-) is used to separate parts of a word.
• The dash (–) is used to separate parts of a
sentence.
(Note: The dash can be
represented by two
hyphens.)
 I have told you everything I know-nothing has been omitted
from my account.
 Whatever may be your pleasure-seek no further,
friends-you have come to the right place!
 Boy, I love being single-parents, I feel for
you-because I don’t think I’ll ever get
married and have kids.
 Please find a place to sit-down on the
left there-and we can get started.
 I have told you everything I know—
nothing has been omitted from my
account.
 Whatever may be your pleasure—seek
no further, friends—you have come to the right place!
 Boy, I love being single—parents, I feel for you—because I
don’t think I’ll ever get married and have kids.
 Please find a place to sit—down on the left there—and we
can get started.
 To separate the parts of a compound adjective or noun
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a well-written document
a thought-provoking story
out-of-state students
out-of-shape people
a five-year-old boy
(BUT: The boy is five
years old.)
secretary-treasurer
student-teacher ratio
work-study program
inner-city schools
jack-in-the-box
mother-in-law
 To set off certain prefixes
well-being
well-preserved
self-conscious
self-employed
all-purpose
ex-minister
ex-husband
anti-intellectual
pro-American
 To add emphasis
 Studies—published and unpublished—are included in
the portfolio.
 I promise I will make it to your
birthday party—as long as
you save me some cake!
 To digress from the main clause
 All of my classes this semester—chemistry, English,
calculus, psychology, and physics—are really pushing me
to my limit.




is
The last contestant—two
hours late—finally made it to
the competition. (This sentence
an example of digression and
emphasis.)
 The dash can be represented by two hyphens (--).
Microsoft Word will automatically turn two adjacent
hyphens into a dash. Microsoft Word will also turn one
hyphen into a dash if you enter the following
keystrokes: SPACE, hyphen, SPACE. This dash (–) is a
little shorter than the long dash, but it is still longer
than the hyphen.
 NOTE THE USE OF THE HYPHEN AND THE DASH
IN THE SNTENCE BELOW:
 "To white evangelical women,
Sarah Palin is a
modern-day prophet, preaching God, flag,
and family--while remaking the religious right
in her own image" (Lisa Miller, June 21, 2010
Newsweek).