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#lang pollen
◊ ( define - meta title "hyphens and dashes" )
◊ hanging - topic [ ( topic - from - metas metas ) ] { Add a nonbreaking space }
◊ em { Hyphens and dashes } look similar , but they ’ re not interchangeable .
◊ ( omission )
◊ numbered - list {
A hyphen appears at the end of a line when a word breaks onto the next line . These hyphens are added and removed automatically by your word processor ’ s hyphenation feature .
Some multipart words are spelled with a hyphen ( ◊ em { topsy - turvy } , ◊ em { cost - effective } , ◊ em { bric - a - brac } ) . But a prefix is not typically followed with a hyphen ( ◊ em { nonprofit } , not ◊ em { non - profit } ) .
A hyphen is used in phrasal adjectives ( ◊ em { commercial - speech restriction } , ◊ em { estate - planning attorney } , ◊ em { law - school grades } ) to ensure clarity . Nonprofessional writers often omit these hyphens . As a profes - sional writer , you should not .
}
For instance , consider the unhyphenated phrase ◊ em { five dollar bills } . Is ◊ em { five } the quantity of ◊ em { dollar bills } , or are the ◊ em { bills } each worth ◊ em { five dollars } ? As written , it suggests the former . If you mean the latter , then you ’ d write ◊ em { five - dollar bills } .
Dashes come in two sizes — the en dash and the em dash . The em dash ( — ) is typically about as wide as a capital H . The en dash ( – ) is about half as wide .
En and em dashes are often approximated by typing two or three hyphens in a row ( - - or - - - ) . Don ’ t do that . Use real dashes .
The en dash has two uses .
◊ numbered - list {
It indicates a range of values ( ◊ em { 1880 – 1912 } , ◊ em { 116 Cal . App . 4 th 330 – 39 } , ◊ em { Exhibits A – E } ) . If you open with from , pair it with to instead of an en dash ( ◊ em { from 1880 to 1912 } , not ◊ em { from 1880 – 1912 } ) .
It denotes a connection or contrast between pairs of words ( ◊ em { conservative – liberal split } , ◊ em { Arizona – Nevada reciprocity } , ◊ em { Sarbanes – Oxley Act } ) .
}
◊ btw {
Even though the en dash is used for joint authors ( ◊ em { Sarbanes – Oxley Act } ) , use a hyphen for compound names . If the children of Sarbanes and Oxley married , they ’ d be known as ◊ em { Mr . & Mrs . Sarbanes - Oxley } ( with a hyphen ) , not ◊ em { Mr . & Mrs . Sarbanes – Oxley } ( with an en dash ) . }