The em dash, and correct usage in the sentence that follows [duplicate]
This question already has an answer here:
When should I use an em-dash, an en-dash, and a hyphen?
1 answer
As I walked through the channel — I knew it was over.
Is this a correct usage of the em dash?
writing-style em-dash
edited yesterday
Kris
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asked 2 days ago
Michelle L CummingsMichelle L Cummings
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marked as duplicate by Janus Bahs Jacquet, JJJ, J. Taylor, Nigel J, Davo 9 hours ago
This question has been asked before and already has an answer. If those answers do not fully address your question, please ask a new question.
add a comment |
This question already has an answer here:
When should I use an em-dash, an en-dash, and a hyphen?
1 answer
As I walked through the channel — I knew it was over.
Is this a correct usage of the em dash?
writing-style em-dash
edited yesterday
Kris
32.9k641124
asked 2 days ago
Michelle L CummingsMichelle L Cummings
9
New contributor
Michelle L Cummings is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
marked as duplicate by Janus Bahs Jacquet, JJJ, J. Taylor, Nigel J, Davo 9 hours ago
This question has been asked before and already has an answer. If those answers do not fully address your question, please ask a new question.
No. IMO, that sentence requires an ordinary comma.
– TrevorD
2 days ago
1
That -- is two hyphens. This — is an em dash. There is a punctuation guide published by The Oxford Dictionaries, part of which is their Em dash guide.
– Weather Vane
2 days ago
Usually an em dash signifies an abrupt or drastic change in the direction of a sentence. I don't think this sentence qualifies.The independent clause,"I knew it was over," seems to flow naturally from the dependent clause. "As I walked through the channel." For example, "As I walked through the channel--hell, it's all a lie. There was no channel."
– Zan700
yesterday
No dash and no comma.
– Rusty Core
yesterday
add a comment |
This question already has an answer here:
When should I use an em-dash, an en-dash, and a hyphen?
1 answer
As I walked through the channel — I knew it was over.
Is this a correct usage of the em dash?
writing-style em-dash
edited yesterday
Kris
32.9k641124
asked 2 days ago
Michelle L CummingsMichelle L Cummings
9
New contributor
Michelle L Cummings is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
This question already has an answer here:
When should I use an em-dash, an en-dash, and a hyphen?
1 answer
As I walked through the channel — I knew it was over.
Is this a correct usage of the em dash?
This question already has an answer here:
When should I use an em-dash, an en-dash, and a hyphen?
1 answer
writing-style em-dash
writing-style em-dash
edited yesterday
Kris
32.9k641124
asked 2 days ago
Michelle L CummingsMichelle L Cummings
9
New contributor
Michelle L Cummings is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited yesterday
Kris
32.9k641124
asked 2 days ago
Michelle L CummingsMichelle L Cummings
9
New contributor
Michelle L Cummings is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited yesterday
Kris
32.9k641124
edited yesterday
Kris
32.9k641124
edited yesterday
Kris
32.9k641124
32.9k641124
asked 2 days ago
Michelle L CummingsMichelle L Cummings
9
New contributor
Michelle L Cummings is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 2 days ago
Michelle L CummingsMichelle L Cummings
9
asked 2 days ago
Michelle L CummingsMichelle L Cummings
9
9
New contributor
Michelle L Cummings is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Michelle L Cummings is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Michelle L Cummings is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
marked as duplicate by Janus Bahs Jacquet, JJJ, J. Taylor, Nigel J, Davo 9 hours ago
This question has been asked before and already has an answer. If those answers do not fully address your question, please ask a new question.
marked as duplicate by Janus Bahs Jacquet, JJJ, J. Taylor, Nigel J, Davo 9 hours ago
This question has been asked before and already has an answer. If those answers do not fully address your question, please ask a new question.
No. IMO, that sentence requires an ordinary comma.
– TrevorD
2 days ago
1
That -- is two hyphens. This — is an em dash. There is a punctuation guide published by The Oxford Dictionaries, part of which is their Em dash guide.
– Weather Vane
2 days ago
Usually an em dash signifies an abrupt or drastic change in the direction of a sentence. I don't think this sentence qualifies.The independent clause,"I knew it was over," seems to flow naturally from the dependent clause. "As I walked through the channel." For example, "As I walked through the channel--hell, it's all a lie. There was no channel."
– Zan700
yesterday
No dash and no comma.
– Rusty Core
yesterday
add a comment |
No. IMO, that sentence requires an ordinary comma.
– TrevorD
2 days ago
1
That -- is two hyphens. This — is an em dash. There is a punctuation guide published by The Oxford Dictionaries, part of which is their Em dash guide.
– Weather Vane
2 days ago
Usually an em dash signifies an abrupt or drastic change in the direction of a sentence. I don't think this sentence qualifies.The independent clause,"I knew it was over," seems to flow naturally from the dependent clause. "As I walked through the channel." For example, "As I walked through the channel--hell, it's all a lie. There was no channel."
– Zan700
yesterday
No dash and no comma.
– Rusty Core
yesterday
No. IMO, that sentence requires an ordinary comma.
– TrevorD
2 days ago
No. IMO, that sentence requires an ordinary comma.
– TrevorD
2 days ago
1
1
That -- is two hyphens. This — is an em dash. There is a punctuation guide published by The Oxford Dictionaries, part of which is their Em dash guide.
– Weather Vane
2 days ago
That -- is two hyphens. This — is an em dash. There is a punctuation guide published by The Oxford Dictionaries, part of which is their Em dash guide.
– Weather Vane
2 days ago
Usually an em dash signifies an abrupt or drastic change in the direction of a sentence. I don't think this sentence qualifies.The independent clause,"I knew it was over," seems to flow naturally from the dependent clause. "As I walked through the channel." For example, "As I walked through the channel--hell, it's all a lie. There was no channel."
– Zan700
yesterday
Usually an em dash signifies an abrupt or drastic change in the direction of a sentence. I don't think this sentence qualifies.The independent clause,"I knew it was over," seems to flow naturally from the dependent clause. "As I walked through the channel." For example, "As I walked through the channel--hell, it's all a lie. There was no channel."
– Zan700
yesterday
No dash and no comma.
– Rusty Core
yesterday
No dash and no comma.
– Rusty Core
yesterday
add a comment |
1 Answer
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No. You can use a dash to connect two clauses that aren't complete sentences, but in this case where the second clause flows naturally from the first one, you would be better served using a comma. Dashes are usually used to indicate a change in tone or direction (often to a facetious or informal one).
After three weeks on set, the cast was fed up with his direction — or, rather, lack of direction.
If you're using a dash instead of a comma because you feel that a comma wouldn't give the second clause enough weight, you'll probably need to change your wording. Something like this could work:
As I walked through the channel, I realized I had to give up. It was over.
answered yesterday
Jess STJJess STJ
1112
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Jess STJ is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
No. You can use a dash to connect two clauses that aren't complete sentences, but in this case where the second clause flows naturally from the first one, you would be better served using a comma. Dashes are usually used to indicate a change in tone or direction (often to a facetious or informal one).
After three weeks on set, the cast was fed up with his direction — or, rather, lack of direction.
If you're using a dash instead of a comma because you feel that a comma wouldn't give the second clause enough weight, you'll probably need to change your wording. Something like this could work:
As I walked through the channel, I realized I had to give up. It was over.
answered yesterday
Jess STJJess STJ
1112
New contributor
Jess STJ is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
No. You can use a dash to connect two clauses that aren't complete sentences, but in this case where the second clause flows naturally from the first one, you would be better served using a comma. Dashes are usually used to indicate a change in tone or direction (often to a facetious or informal one).
After three weeks on set, the cast was fed up with his direction — or, rather, lack of direction.
If you're using a dash instead of a comma because you feel that a comma wouldn't give the second clause enough weight, you'll probably need to change your wording. Something like this could work:
As I walked through the channel, I realized I had to give up. It was over.
answered yesterday
Jess STJJess STJ
1112
New contributor
Jess STJ is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
No. You can use a dash to connect two clauses that aren't complete sentences, but in this case where the second clause flows naturally from the first one, you would be better served using a comma. Dashes are usually used to indicate a change in tone or direction (often to a facetious or informal one).
After three weeks on set, the cast was fed up with his direction — or, rather, lack of direction.
If you're using a dash instead of a comma because you feel that a comma wouldn't give the second clause enough weight, you'll probably need to change your wording. Something like this could work:
As I walked through the channel, I realized I had to give up. It was over.
answered yesterday
Jess STJJess STJ
1112
New contributor
Jess STJ is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
No. You can use a dash to connect two clauses that aren't complete sentences, but in this case where the second clause flows naturally from the first one, you would be better served using a comma. Dashes are usually used to indicate a change in tone or direction (often to a facetious or informal one).
After three weeks on set, the cast was fed up with his direction — or, rather, lack of direction.
If you're using a dash instead of a comma because you feel that a comma wouldn't give the second clause enough weight, you'll probably need to change your wording. Something like this could work:
As I walked through the channel, I realized I had to give up. It was over.
answered yesterday
Jess STJJess STJ
1112
New contributor
Jess STJ is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered yesterday
Jess STJJess STJ
1112
New contributor
Jess STJ is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered yesterday
Jess STJJess STJ
1112
answered yesterday
Jess STJJess STJ
1112
1112
New contributor
Jess STJ is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Jess STJ is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Jess STJ is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
add a comment |
No. IMO, that sentence requires an ordinary comma.
– TrevorD
2 days ago
1
That -- is two hyphens. This — is an em dash. There is a punctuation guide published by The Oxford Dictionaries, part of which is their Em dash guide.
– Weather Vane
2 days ago
Usually an em dash signifies an abrupt or drastic change in the direction of a sentence. I don't think this sentence qualifies.The independent clause,"I knew it was over," seems to flow naturally from the dependent clause. "As I walked through the channel." For example, "As I walked through the channel--hell, it's all a lie. There was no channel."
– Zan700
yesterday
No dash and no comma.
– Rusty Core
yesterday