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I adore the em dash—no spaces, always tight. Is that standard? Not exactly. Is it easier? Absolutely. Dash rules can be a mess, so here’s a quick, slightly snarky breakdown:
Hyphen (-)
Your keyboard default. Links compounds (mother-in-law), breaks words at line ends, and sticks to prefixes (re-entry). Commonly overused—often like glitter at a toddler’s birthday.
Pro tip: Use for what it’s built for. Not for drama.
Em Dash (—)
My ride-or-die. It replaces commas, colons, and parentheses with flair—and loves a grand pause. Named for the width of an “M,” it can be tricky to type.
Pro tip: Use it. Shamelessly.
En Dash (–)
The middle child—used for ranges (2001–2021) and pairings (NY–London). Nobody really notices it.
Pro tip: Impress editors. Or ignore with dignity.
Final Thought
Three people corrected me this week—and none agreed. So I’m invoking the Rule of Selective Punctuation Compliance—and living my best dashed life.