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THE DASH. 1) Use a dash to show a break in speech. 1) Use a dash to show a break in speech. Example: “I--I can’t do it!” exclaimed the girl. “I can’t--!” exclaimed the girl. 2) Use a dash to emphasize important information that abruptly interrupts a sentence.
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1) Use a dash to show a break in speech. Example: “I--I can’t do it!” exclaimed the girl. “I can’t--!” exclaimed the girl.
2) Use a dash to emphasize important information that abruptly interrupts a sentence.
2) Use a dash to emphasize important information that abruptly interrupts a sentence. Example: The crowd marveled as the circus performer--using one finger--lifted fifty pounds.
3) Use a dash to signal a change in thought (or to signal an unfinished thought).
3) Use a dash to signal a change in thought (or to signal an unfinished thought). Example: The winner of today’s baseball game--assuming we aren’t rained out--will play in the regional semifinals. The appetizers--supposedly the restaurant’s specialty--left us disappointed.
4) Use a dash to set off a long explanatory statement that interrupts the main thought of a sentence.
4) Use a dash to set off a long explanatory statement that interrupts the main thought of a sentence. Example: They desperately searched everywhere--under the seats, in the aisle, in the lobby--trying to find their car keys.
Remember: There are FOUR main uses for dashes. 1) Use a dash to show a break in speech. 2) Use a dash to emphasize important information that abruptly interrupts a sentence. 3) Use a dash to signal a change in thought (or to signal an unfinished thought). 4) Use a dash to set off a long explanatory statement that interrupts the main thought of a sentence.