Dash facts for kids
A dash is a special mark you use in writing. It looks like a short line and usually sits in the middle of a text line. People sometimes confuse it with a hyphen, but they are used for different things. Dashes can make your writing more exciting or help you explain things better. But be careful not to use them too much! There are two main types of dashes:
What is an En Dash?
The en dash (–) is one type of dash. It's shorter than the other main dash, the em dash, but longer than a hyphen. Imagine the letter "n" – an en dash is usually about that width.
You use an en dash to show a range or connection between things. For example:
- Ranges of numbers: Like "pages 3–6" in a book. This means from page 3 to page 6.
- Ranges of dates: For example, "2010–2011" for a school year.
- Ranges of time: Such as "11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m." for a meeting.
What is an Em Dash?
The em dash (—) is the other main type of dash. It's named "em" because it's usually about the same width as the uppercase letter "M".
Em dashes are great for adding emphasis or showing a sudden interruption in a thought. They can also replace other punctuation marks like a comma, parentheses, or a colon. However, using an em dash often makes your writing feel less formal than using those other marks.
Images for kids
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These comparisons of the hyphen (-), n, en dash (–), m, and em dash (—), in various 12-point fonts, illustrate the typical relationship between lengths ("- n – m —"). In some fonts, the en dash is not much longer than the hyphen, and in Lucida Grande, the en dash is actually shorter than the hyphen.
See also
In Spanish: Raya (puntuación) para niños
