Why is it called an en dash?

An en dash is a midsize dash (longer than a hyphen but shorter than an em dash) that is mostly used to show ranges in numbers and dates. It can also be used for clarity in forming complex compound adjectives

compound adjectives

A compound modifier (also called a compound adjective, phrasal adjective, or adjectival phrase) is a compound of two or more attributive words: that is, two or more words that collectively modify a noun.

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Compound modifier - Wikipedia

. The en dash derives its name from the fact that it is meant to be the same width as the letter N.

Why is en dash called en?

The en dash, also called the en rule, is shorter than an em dash (—) but longer than a hyphen (-). It is called an en dash because it is about the same width as the capital letter N in the typeface being used.

Why do en dashes exist?

There's a hyphen and an em dash, but there is no en dash. The little en dash exists almost exclusively in book publishing and the magazines that follow book publishing style. Readers don't usually notice them, which makes sense when you consider that they exist solely to make written text smoother and easier to digest.

What is the difference between an em and en dash?

Both types of dashes are frequently confused for each other and another type of punctuation: the hyphen (-). The en dash and em dash get their names from their approximate length: The en dash is shorter, about the width of the letter N, and the em dash is longer, about the width of the letter M.

Which is the correct use of an en dash?

The en dash is used to represent a span or range of numbers, dates, or time. There should be no space between the en dash and the adjacent material. Depending on the context, the en dash is read as “to” or “through.” The 2010⁠–⁠2011 season was our best yet.

En Dash vs. Em Dash | Grammar Lessons

What is an M dash?

The Em Dash: An Introduction

Like commas and parentheses, em dashes set off extra information, such as examples, explanatory or descriptive phrases, or supplemental facts. Like a colon, an em dash introduces a clause that explains or expands upon something that precedes it.

How do you remember an en dash?

Replace the en dash with 'to'. Another good point to remember about when not to use an en dash is to remember that en dashes should always be between two words or two numbers, without a gap between them.

Is an en dash two hyphens?

An en dash or en rule is a symbol primarily used to connect two words. Also, you can use it for showing a range of dates and numbers and making complex compound adjectives more explicit. It is represented by a mid-sized dash (–), which is wider than a hyphen (-) and narrower than an em dash (—).

What is an Enrule?

Meaning of en rule in English

An en rule is about double the length of a hyphen. En rules are used to mean "to" in such phrases as: 1914–18. Em rules are separating signals whereas en rules are joining signals.

What is en in typography?

An en is a typographic unit, half of the width of an em. By definition, it is equivalent to half of the body height of the typeface (e.g., in 16-point type it is 8 points). As its name suggests, it is also traditionally the width of an uppercase letter "N". The en dash (–) and en space ( ) are each one en wide.

Are en dashes still used?

A properly executed en dash is especially important in scientific and mathematical writing because it is used between numbers to represent the word to. It is also used when writing times, dates, and page numbers in the sense of up to and including or through. Our part-time employees work 20–30 hours per week.

Is 28 hyphenated?

You should always hyphenate numbers when you are describing compound numbers between 21 and 99 (except 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 and 90). A compound number is any number that consists of two words; for example, eighty-eight, twenty-two, forty-nine. Numbers higher than 99 do not need a hyphen.

What is the long dash called?

The dash (—), also called the em dash, is the long horizontal bar, much longer than a hyphen.

Is it New York based or New York based?

Instead of "New York-based," one would write "New York–based," since New York itself is an open (nonhyphenated) two-word element. Other examples: Post–World War II; Pulitzer Prize–winning; ex–vice president.

Is there a dash before inspired?

A recent online article on revised designs for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art talks about the “sinuous, oil-slick inspired structure.” In this case, inspired is part of the modifier, and so should have been attached with a hyphen: sinuous, oil-slick-inspired structure.

Is US based hyphenated?

The Chicago Manual prefers a spare hyphenation style; their guideline is "hyphenate only if doing so will aid readability". So Chicago would recommend North America based. When I look up based in Wordnik, all of their examples where based is preceded by a proper name use the hyphen, e.g., U.S.-based, N.Y.

How do you type an N Dash?

If you have a numeric keyboard, hold down the Alt key and type 0151 for an em dash or 0150 for an en dash.

What does en dash look like?

An en dash is a punctuation mark that is typically used to express ranges or to clarify more complex compound words. An en dash resembles a hyphen (-) but is slightly longer (–). Most keyboards don't have a key reserved for the en dash. It usually needs to be added as a special character on most writing programs.

What is the double hyphen called?

An em dash is a punctuation mark that can be used to replace commas, parentheses, colons, and semicolons. In general, the em dash is seen as being more interruptive or striking than other punctuation, so it is often used stylistically to draw a reader's attention to a particular bit of information.

What is a 3 em dash?

Create a 3-em dash by entering the em dash three times or six hyphens. You can find the em dash in the symbol drop-down menu in Microsoft Word. Alternatively, press CTRL + ALT + minus key on the numeric keypad, three times. If you're using the proper font (Times New Roman 12), the three dashes will make a solid line.

Is an em dash professional?

Opting for using a hyphen instead of the en- or em-dash has become a lazy habit of many writers but using en- and em-dashes is easy and results in professionally presented content when used correctly; it's just a matter of getting familiar with the typographical rules, the short-cut keys, and using them!

Where do you break an em dash?

According to The Punctuation Guide, “Most newspapers — and all that follow AP style — insert a space before and after the em dash.” Of course, this will introduce the possibility of having a line break just before the em dash, and that's not a good solution.

Can you use an em dash twice in a sentence?

The em dash is perhaps the most versatile punctuation mark. Depending on the context, the em dash can take the place of commas, parentheses, or colons⁠—in each case to slightly different effect. Notwithstanding its versatility, the em dash is best limited to two appearances per sentence.

Do you capitalize after an em dash?

Don't capitalize the first word after an em dash unless the word is a proper noun.

What is a closed em dash?

Dashes that indicate end-of-line interruptions. To indicate that a speaking character has been interrupted, use a CLOSED-UP EM DASH, whether you're publishing in US or UK English.