What effect does a dash give?

What effect does a dash give?

Dashes Are Usually an Option, Not a Necessity When used to extend a sentence, a dash can replace a semicolon (;), a colon (:), or three dots (…) used as a pause for effect. When used as parentheses, dashes are alternatives to brackets or commas.

How do you use dashes in parentheses?

If you want to draw attention to the parenthetical content, use dashes. If you want to include the parenthetical content more subtly, use parentheses. Note that when dashes are used in place of parentheses, surrounding punctuation should be omitted. Compare the following examples.

What is the function of a dash in a poem?

The dashes create an emphasis on parts of the sentence and take on the role of either commas or parentheses. When she uses the dashes as commas like the stanza from above it shifts the focus on the words that follow the dash, so the phrase “that oppresses” is meant to resonate with the reader.

What are the 4 uses of a dash?

Dashes

• To set off material for emphasis. Think of dashes as the opposite of parentheses.
• To indicate sentence introductions or conclusions.
• To mark “bonus phrases.” Phrases that add information or clarify but are not necessary to the meaning of a sentence are ordinarily set off with commas.
• To break up dialogue.

What is a dash on the keyboard?

Alternatively known as a dash, subtract, negative, or minus sign, the hyphen ( – ) is a punctuation mark on the underscore key next to the “0” key on US keyboards. Keyboard help and support.

What are dashes and brackets used for?

Brackets are most commonly used to immediately describe a word or thought inside a sentence, while dashes are used to introduce or emphasize a new thought into a sentence to clarify its intent.

Should I use dashes or parentheses?

Dashes are considered less formal than parentheses; they are also more intrusive. If you want to draw attention to the parenthetical content, use dashes. If you want to include the parenthetical content more subtly, use parentheses. When used in place of parentheses at the end of a sentence, only a single dash is used.

How do you use a dash in a poem?

Dickinson went a little jiggy with it, admittedly, but in poetry and prose alike, the dash is a freewheelin’ punctuation mark. The Parenthetical Dash can stand in for a pair of commas or parentheses. The Pause Dash can take the place of a period, comma, semicolon — or nothing at all!

What does dash mean the definition?

A dash is a punctuation mark, similar to a hyphen or minus sign but differing primarily in length and serving different functions. The most common versions of the dash are the en dash and the em dash, named for the length of a typeface’s lower-case n and upper-case M respectively.

When to put dash between words?

The dash (—) is a mark of punctuation used to set off a word or phrase after an independent clause or a parenthetical remark (words, phrases, or clauses that interrupt a sentence). Don’t confuse the dash (—) with the hyphen (-): the dash is longer.

How is a dash used in writing?

A dash is used to emphasise what follows. Use dashes sparingly: not more than a pair per sentences in informal writing and (if possible) not more than a pair per paragraph in formal writing.

What does the DASH diet stand for?

The DASH diet is an acronym that stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. The DASH diet came about from studies sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and is used to help lower blood pressure and improve levels of cholesterol thereby reducing the risk of heart disease.