Teresa Shellenbarger, PhD, RN, CNE, CNEcl, ANEF, FAAN
Writer’s Camp Counselor
Abstract
Teresa Shellenbarger’s Wordcraft lesson clarifies the distinct uses of hyphens, en dashes, and em dashes in writing. Hyphens join words, en dashes indicate ranges, and em dashes provide emphasis or interruption. Understanding these marks enhances clarity in scholarly and professional writing by improving readability and sentence structure.
Wordcraft at Camp offers bite-size lessons on language, clarity, and scholarly style from the counselors at Writer’s Camp.
Hyphens, en dashes, and em dashes may look like variations of the same mark, but each does a different job. This Wordcraft lesson offers a simple way to tell them apart and use them with confidence in scholarly and professional writing.
Have you ever noticed the different types of dashes used in publishing? A hyphen, an en dash, and an em dash may look like close relatives, but they are not interchangeable. Each serves a specific purpose, and choosing the right one can make a sentence easier to read.
Rule of Thumb
Hyphens join. En dashes span. Em dashes interrupt or emphasize.
Quick Definition
The hyphen (-), the shortest mark, joins words or word parts. It is often used in compound modifiers that appear before a noun when the hyphen helps readers understand which words belong together. Hyphens also appear with some prefixes, although those forms vary by word and style guide.1
The en dash (–), the medium-length mark, most often shows a range or connection. It can stand for “to” in expressions such as pages 115–120 or 2024–2026. When a sentence uses “from” or “between,” however, keep the words: write “from 2024 to 2026” and “between 2024 and 2026.”2
The em dash (—), the longest mark, signals a pause, interruption, or emphasis. It can set off additional information or, depending on the sentence, do work similar to a comma, colon, or parentheses.
In Practice
Hyphen. Common examples include decision-making strategy, cost-benefit analysis, high-quality care, evidence-based practice, full-time faculty, long-term goal, competency-based curriculum, and high-risk pregnancy. In each case, the hyphen helps the reader see the words as a single idea.
Prefixes are less predictable. Some prefixed words take a hyphen, while others are written as one word. When you are unsure, check the publication’s preferred dictionary or style guide rather than assuming that every prefix needs a hyphen.
En dash. The en dash frequently appears in ranges and connections: academic years 2024–2026, pages 115–120, chapters 1–4, 80%–89%, September–December, and a New York–Los Angeles route.
Em dash. Use an em dash when you want a noticeable break or added emphasis:
- The accreditation site visit review—scheduled for September—has been postponed.
- The evaluation plan should include three critical components—assessments, interventions, and analyses.
In the first example, the em dashes set off additional information. In the second, the em dash introduces a list with more emphasis than a comma would provide.
Counselor’s Tip
Think of the three marks by the jobs they do: hyphens join, en dashes span, and em dashes emphasize. Spacing and other details can vary by publication, so follow the journal’s house style. And remember: an em dash gets its power from being noticeable. If one appears in every paragraph, the emphasis quickly loses its punch.
References
1. American Psychological Association. Hyphenation principles. APA Style. Accessed August 25, 2026. https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/spelling-hyphenation/hyphenation
2. Merriam-Webster. How to use em dashes (—), en dashes (–), and hyphens (-). Merriam-Webster. Accessed August 25, 2026. https://www.merriam-webster.com/grammar/em-dash-en-dash-how-to-use
Author: Teresa Shellenbarger
Reviewed and Edited by: Anjie Raber
Copyright © 2026 Writer’s Camp and Teresa Shellenbarger. CC-BY-ND 4.0
Citation: Shellenbarger T. Wordcraft at Camp: Dashing along with the em dash, en dash, and hyphen. The Writer’s Camp Journal, 2(1):1. 10.5281/zenodo.22947794