Those who use word can make use of the programs auto correct feature to replace an oldfashioned twohyphen em dash with an actual em dash. Two tips for punctuating interrupted dialogue keli gwyns blog. The em dash is used to evoke emphasis or to set off an element added to amplify or to digress from the main clause publication manual of the apa, 2001, p. The chicago manual of style online offers a good guide for determining when to use an em dash or an. Use an em dash to set off a parenthetical phrase with more emphasis than parentheses provide. Figuring out whether to use an en dash, em dash, 2 em dashes, or even gasp. When you use autocorrect options, you can also click stop automatically creating dashes, or click control autocorrect options to open the autocorrect dialog box. Automatic hyphenation is quicker and easier, although manual hyphenation provides more control. Use one em dash to set off a phrase at the end of a sentence. How to find and replace special characters in microsoft word. Using word to prepare a kindle book isnt nearly as difficult as many will tell you, but its also not as simple and straightforward as others claim. Shortcuts for other software, like openoffice, will vary.
Inserting an em dash microsoft word word tips tips. Then ask your question on this page to other microsoft word 2007 owners. Bibliography basic patterns chicagoturabian referencing. In the image below 1 is a hyphen, 2 is an en dash and 3 is the em dash. Select the automatically hyphenate document check box. Mostly hypens are for making a word like xray or for writing out numbers twentyone. Dont leave the two hyphens if they dont merge to form the em dash. There are three different types of dashes in english writing. Another way to form an en dash with a pc is to hold down the alt key while typing 0150 on the numerical pad on the right side of the keyboard.
I get slapped on the wrist by my employer if i type two hypens. How to create a nonbreaking dash in microsoft word youtube. This complete guide shows both professionals and novices how to. It is a dash longer than an en dash and three times as long as a hyphen if you are looking for an easy way to type this em dash in word, youve come to the right place.
Most folks know about the hyphen, but fewer are familiar with the em dash and the en dash. If you use microsoft word, hold down control and press the dash key on the number keypad to create an en dash, which is typically used to separate numbers. You can also copy and paste the dashes from another. Wordtips is your source for costeffective microsoft word training. To insert multiple characters, click them one at a time. Use one em dash on each side of a phrase embedded in a sentence. The problem is that i use the chicago style for all my work, which stipulates that an en, not em, dash should be used between numbers like pages numbers and dates.
For all references after the first, a group of three em dashes and a period should replace the authors name. Garner, the chicago guide to grammar, usage, and punctuation chicago. I dont know if you can see the difference, but the en dash, the correct mark, is longer than the hyphen. Have you read the manual but does it answer your question.
How to put a long dash in word how to insert a long. How to create an em dash in microsoft word like many people, i use microsoft word as my word processor, even on my mac. Additional lines in the entry are indented this is called a hanging indent. I just realised a closed em dash doesnt look too bad in these comments because there is a very slight space either side of it, but i still stand by the above. Under find and replace i can search for one of these, but i cannot find any means of inserting one. May 16, 2016 the em dash, often simply called the dash, is the most commonly used. How to insert an en dash or em dash in microsoft word. However, you may still have to do some tweaking to get things perfect. Most word processors will, at least optionally, replace two repeated hyphens with an em dash. Microsoft word does this as long as you dont insert a space before typing the repeated hyphens. The hyphen, em dash and en dash crop up all the time while youre using microsoft word, but most of us dont know why and. Get the latest version and bring out your best writing with word in office 365. Many word processors will automatically insert an em dash when you type a pair of hyphens.
Microsoft word 2010 download word 2010 microsoft office. These instructions should work fine for old and new versions of microsoft word. To insert an en dash press the ctrl key and the minus key simultaneously. Find answers to creating em dash in word perfect 10 from the expert community at experts exchange. When you insert hyphens in text in microsoft word, some of the hyphens are converted into long dashes also called en dashes. Ive found multiple sources that indicate i can still use a keyboard. Alternatively, you can insert these special characters using the insert symbol menu.
Additional distinctions between the three types of dashes are explained in the redbook from 1. Word can also generate an en dash if you type a single space, followed by two hyphens, and then another space. How to type em dash in word with shortcutlong dash. A closed em dash is much worse in documents typeset in tex, where the dash without manual spacing practically touches the letters either side of it. Word allows you to insert an em dash a long dash by simply typing two. Why do so many mac users still use ms word when pages is just as good and free. Word can also generate an en dash if you type a single space, followed by. With a hyphen, microsoft word counts this as one word. When using word 365 i am trying to insert an em dash. For example, em dashes are used when a parenthetical remark contains an internal comma or would otherwise sound awkward if. This is what i use in writing, but i have a slight gap between my en dash and dash to make my em dash. You can also insert a special dash using the insert symbol menu.
When an author appears more than once in a bibliography a 3em dash can replace his or her name. If you prefer to use a true em dash, most keyboards dont include a key for it, but a simple shortcut is available. An alternative way of displaying speech is via the em dash. How to punctuate dialogue in a novel louise harnby. Alex in florida asked, should there be a space before and after a dash. All well and good, but when i type a dash with no space before or after, my word processor leaves it as a hyphen. Em dash use the em dash in place of commas or parenthesis for added emphasis.
Autoformat converts some hyphens to long dashes in word. Being doubled and tripled the preferred design is one that fills the advance width and connects. Aug 29, 2010 after writing about how the n dash and m dash are used, i thought i should add something about how to insert the n dash and m dash quickly in microsoft word microsoft word can create the n dash and m dash automatically while you type. How to use microsoft word to put an accent on an e. The en dash is used in text solely as a replacement for a hyphen and as a replacement for the word through janjun the 2 em dash is used in text setting to indicate missing letters in a word. The en dash an en dash is used more like a hyphen because it connects words. All the entries in your bibliography should be sorted alphabetically. This gives the opportunity to convert existing texlatex documents to microsoft word.
Every style guide i checked, except the ap stylebook, stated there should be no spaces between an emdash and the adjacent words. Word will automatically convert the hyphen into an en dash. After disabling the autocorrect option, youll have to enter an em dash manually. In most american print and ebooks, correct em dash formation is done by using two hyphens with no spacing, which then becomes an em dash also called the long dash in most word processing programs as you continue typing. Mar 10, 2018 the use of dashes is inconsistent in lots of writing regardless of how professional the writers are. Correct em dash formation for ebooks and what about the. To insert a hyphen use the hyphen key or the minus key.
Em dasheswhy writers should use them more sparingly. Hyphens, em dashes, en dasheseverything you need to know. Find articles, videos, training, tutorials, and more. When you need an em dash, you can let word enter it for you the easy way. The 3 em dash the 3 em dash followed by a full stop is used for successive entries by the same author or editor and replaces the name after the first apperance in the bibliography. How to create a nonbreaking dash in microsoft word. Manual pratico microsoft word 20072010 pedro filipe c. This method can get messy if you have more than two speakers in a conversation, so use it with care. User manual word to latex, latex to word converters. Her article is so overloaded with em dashes that the reader is left dizzy and confused.
How to make an em dash on a mac in microsoft word quora. How to create a nonbreaking dash in microsoft word with bonus section about inserting nonbreaking hyphens resources. May 24, 2011 the em dash isnt easily formed on computersit requires some special keystrokes on both pcs and macsand so i will admit that at least some of my bile comes from, as a copy editor. In windows, you can do it quickly with an external keyboard with a number pad. Most keyboards and software programs lack the em dash, therefore it must be created by using a special function key supported by the software program or by entering two hyphens. How to get emdash without numeric keypad microsoft. This wikihow teaches you how to type a hyphen also known as a dash into the android version of microsoft word.
Nov 28, 2011 the em dash is the long dash that used to be shown, back in precomputer days, by typing two hyphens. Character design standards punctuation for latin 1. By contrast, the chicago manual of style sections 2. The em dash, which is what many people, like myself are getting frustrated with, when writing, need an em dash, the width of a capital m. Insert three em dashes in the place of a repeating authors name in a bibliography.
If you are using a typewriter, a pair of hyphens is the closest you can get to an em dash. How to use the hyphen, en dash and em dash ndash mdash, n. In a microsoft word document, choose insert in the menu bar. The use of dashes is inconsistent in lots of writing regardless of how professional the writers are. A good way to get started is to use microsoft words sort feature. In the hyphenation zone box, enter the amount of space to leave between the end of the last word in a line and the right margin. On a pc, hold both the control and alt keys and type the minus sign specifically, the one on the numeric keypad to the right. The 3 em dash is used to indicate an entire word missing. The em dash isnt easily formed on computersit requires some special keystrokes on both pcs and macsand so i will admit that at least some of my bile comes from, as a copy editor.
After writing about how the ndash and mdash are used, i thought i should add something about how to insert the ndash and mdash quickly in microsoft word microsoft word can create the ndash and mdash automatically while you type. Find an em dash some existing document and copy it to the clipboard. I have the latest version of microsoft word, i have checked to make sure that the auto correct option for replace hyphens with dash is check off, yet i still can not create an em dash. Occasionally a new user of word is alarmed to discover that his previously pristine document is full of strange symbolsdots, arrows, paragraphs marks, and the like.
Although i agree with the rule, ive recently learned something that could affect your choice of horizontal mark. In my word processor, blahblah autoformats the text to use what appears to be an em dash with no space between the dash and words. If i leave a space before and after the dash it converts it to an en dash. How to make the long dashes theres the en dash, the em dash, and the plain old hyphen. Whilst reading novels, you will see the longer em dash used. An em is a unit for measuring the width of printed matter, originally reckoned as the width of a capital roman m, but in digital fonts equal to the current typesize, so an em in 10 point text is 10 points wide. When one cites more than one work by the same author, every citation after the first begins with a 3em dash followed by a period. Four ways to insert an em dash in a word document techrepublic. View the microsoft word 2007 manual for free or ask your question to other microsoft word 2007 owners. The only one i havent tried is office 360 thanks for any. If that approach doesnt suit your needs, try one of three manual methods. After three weeks on set, the cast was fed up with his directionor, rather, lack of direction. How to insert special characters in microsoft word. Insert an ndash or mdash in microsoft word punctuation matters.
Mar 16, 2020 this short document explains how to create a numbered citation using microsoft word, manually or using a referencing software. The hyphen, em dash and en dash crop up all the time while youre using microsoft word, but most of us dont know why and we use the different dashes inconsistently. In this use, em dashes are similar to commas and parentheses, but there are subtle differences. Begin the first line of each entry at the left margin. You can also use manual hyphenation to have word make hyphenation suggestions. The em dash, which is used to break up sentences in a similar way to parentheses, can be made by holding down the control and alt keys, and pressing the dash key. Get the most uptodate version of word and do your best writing. Formatting the bibliography chicago manual of style.
You can insert an em dash in microsoft word 2016 by choosing insert symbol special character em dash. Exception in a date range that includes two times and two dates, add spaces around the en dash. Em, em space, en dash, hyphen, word processor terms. Jan 31, 2011 dont put a space between an emdash and the adjacent words. Creating em dash in word perfect 10 solutions experts. According to reliable style manuals ive cited four at the bottom of this post, writers should use the en dash, not the hyphen, for number spans. Similar to an extended hyphen, an em dash is used to show a break in thought or a shift of tone.
In word, you can do it even more quickly if you have a number pad, but that requires an external keyboard. Ndash or en dash automatically created in word when you type something something wordspacehyphen. Type a space, type dash dash dash and touch the spacebar. Example if youre not sure about the details, look at the illustrations in the wizardthey can help you figure out what type of connection youre using. Using the autoformat feature in microsoft word, you can create both an em dash and en dash automatically by typing hyphens. An em dash may be used to indicate omitted letters in a word redacted to an initial or single letter or to fillet a word, by leaving the start and end letters whilst replacing the middle letters with a dash or dashes for the purposes of censorship or simply data anonymization. Blah blah autoformats to be an en dash with space between the dash and words. Tex2word is a converter designed in order to use with microsoft word and enables microsoft word to open documents in tex format this includes any texbased formats like latex, etc. I have a new laptop from microsoft that does not have a numeric keypad. If you want to use en dashes instead of hyphens, insert a space before the hyphen. Fixed accelerator key conflicts in the tools writing tools submenu. The instructions for inserting an em dash in word 2007 are on pages 26 27.
Presumably it is akin to bumping the next word to the next line, as opposed to starting a new paragraph. In a recent slate article about the em dash, noreen malone demonstrates what overuse of the punctuation looks like. If youre confused about the various types of dashes and when to use them, youre not alone. You can have word hyphenate your text automatically as you type your text, or later, in one pass. How to use the shortcut for em dash microsoft community. What is a manual line break, and how do i insert one. More information on footnotes chicago citation style. Automatically place en not em dashes between numbers. Its a littleknown fact that dashes come in different sizes. Learn all about punctuation marks here at writing forward.
Create a nonbreaking dash in microsoft word that will keep words or numbers connected by an em dash or an en dash from separating at the. When two hyphens are placed between two numbers, libreoffice changes them into an em dash, as it does between two words. Turns out the em dash also known as an m dash, mrule, the long dash, or, in the grammatical slang circles, mutton, and i am not making that up is just that extended dash you see when there is a break in narration or conversation. Many authors simply type two hyphens, which word automatically converts to an en dash most times when typing continues. En dash the en dash gets its name because it is about the same width as the letter n. This is a good thing given how complicated the hyphenation rules are. Looking for the word program settings that let you control things like whether word checks for spelling and grammar errors as you type, or whether word automatically formats as you type for example, by replacing two hyphens with an em dash. How to use the shortcut for em dash i frequently use the em dash in word instert symbol special characters em dash, and it would be easier to use a keyboard shortcut. Emdashes, often known simply as dashes, get their name from typography. Em dashthats the long dash, and as grammarist says, em dashes set apart parenthetical phrases or clauses in a sentence.
In a schedule or listing, use an en dash with no spaces around it. In todays tutorial, you will learn how to put a long dash in word. Word does not replace the two hyphens with a dash like it is supposed to. Is there a difference between dashes and hyphens or are they really the same thing. Similarly, an endash is about the width of the letter n. You can also copy and paste the dashes from another document, such as a web page, into your word document. Learn how to insert an em dash, an en dash, or a variety of other symbols into a document using mac os x. Fixed a bug causing any template with nanowrimo novel in the name not to appear in the new project window.
Manage dependencies to deliver more, reduce manual reporting, and expose. Microsoft is here to help you with products including office, windows, surface, and more. Em dashes can be used to emphasize important or essential information midsentence or at the end of sentences. Self publishing your kindle book with microsoft word, or tips on formatting your document so your ebook wont look terrible. Understanding words nonprinting characters or formatting marks.
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