Dashes in Writing

Dashes are punctuation marks used to add emphasis, clarify, or set off information within a sentence. They come in two main types: the en dash (–) and the em dash (—). The em dash is more common and functions like a break or pause, often replacing commas, parentheses, or colons to add extra details or create a sharper separation. For example, "She booked the trip—despite her busy schedule—definitely worth it." Dashes help make writing more dynamic and can highlight important or surprising information effectively.