Dashes and Parentheses

Dashes

Writers may choose to use a dash, two hypens, (--) when they want to indicate a longer pause and to emphasize something by visually setting it apart from the rest of the sentence. Dashes are commonly used for the following reasons:

To indicate a change or interruption in thought

Example: Sweating, red-faced, eyes averted; the witness testified--not that I believed her--that she had never before seen the accused.

To show emphasis

Example: When the defendent first caught a glimpse of the surprise witness, he cringed--yes, he literally cringed--at the sight of her.

To separate a parenthetical expression

Example: By the end of the trial, over a dozen character witnesses--at least two thirds of them relatives--had testified on the defendent's behalf.

To set off a list containing commas from the rest of the sentence

Examples: The accused was charged with several counts--rape, assault with a deadly weapon, criminal intent, and resisting arrest.

To show hesitation in dialogue

Examples: Disgusted by the callousness of the crime yet fearing retribution, the spokeman wearily rose from his seat and tentatively pronounced, "G--guilty--guilty beyond any reasonable doubt."

Warning: Don't overuse dashes. They can cause an inappropriately casual or informal tone, ineffective emphasis, and confusion for the reader. While less emphatic, commas and parentheses can be used for the same purposes.