A hyphen (-) looks like a very short line. It is shorter than an en dash (–) and an em dash (—). It is also different from an underscore ( _ ).
On a computer keyboard, it is to the right of the zero (0) key. On a phone keypad, it is in the number menu, just underneath the “1” key.
Hyphens are used to connect words or parts of words (e.g., “self-reliant,” “semi-independent”).
Continue reading: What does a hyphen look like?
Hyphens are used in sentences to connect words (or parts of words) that act together as a unit. For example:
There are many rules about when hyphens should and should not be used. QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can help you use hyphens correctly in your writing.
Continue reading: When do you use a hyphen in a sentence?
The term “m dash” is a misspelling of em dash, which is the long dash used to indicate a break or to set off additional information in a sentence (e.g., “The rain—which has not let up for days—is predicted to end on Sunday”).
Continue reading: What is an m dash?
Typically, there is no space around an em dash (e.g., “The flight—which had already been delayed three times—was canceled”).
One notable exception is that Associated Press (AP) style requires spaces around an em dash, so you may see this in news articles (e.g., “The flight — which had already been delayed three times — was canceled”).
Consult your style guide to see what is preferred. All of the major academic style guides (APA, MLA, and Chicago) recommend not putting spaces around em dashes.
QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can help you make sure you are using em dashes correctly.
Continue reading: Should there be spaces around an em dash?
An en dash (–) is shorter and is used to indicate number ranges (e.g., “1958–1985”) or as a substitute for the word “to” in phrases like “the Albuquerque–Los Angeles flight.”
An em dash (—) is longer and is used like parentheses or commas to set off extra information or like a colon or semicolon to indicate a break in a sentence. For example: “My brother—well, technically my half-brother—is coming to visit this weekend.”
In British English, en dashes are used like em dashes. In this case, they have a space on either side. For example: “My brother – well, technically my half-brother – is coming to visit this weekend.”
A QuillBot Grammar Check can help you ensure you use dashes correctly.
Continue reading: What’s the difference between an em dash and an en dash?
In Microsoft Word, there are several ways to type an em dash (—):
Continue reading: How do I type an em dash in Word?
To type an em dash (—) on a Mac computer, hold down option + shift and press the hyphen key (to the right of the 0).
Alternatively, for many programs and applications, you can type an em dash by typing two or three hyphens (-) in a row. The program will automatically convert this to an em dash.
Continue reading: How do I type an em dash on a Mac?
The first-person pronoun “I” is always capitalized in English. This includes its use in contractions (e.g., “I’m,” “I’ve,” “I’ll,” and “I’d”).
This rule is sometimes broken in poetry or in very casual text messages. But, in all other types of writing, “I” should always be capitalized.
Use QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker to catch any mistakes with capitalization.
Continue reading: What word is always capitalized?
There are no words that are never capitalized in English because any word that begins a sentence should be capitalized. Additionally, words that are part of titles (except for articles, coordinating conjunctions, and short prepositions) are generally capitalized.
When not used in titles or as the first word of a sentence, words other than proper nouns and the first-person pronoun “I” are generally lowercased in English.
A free QuillBot Grammar Check can help you make sure you’re capitalizing words correctly.
Continue reading: What words do not get capitalized?
