Punctuation Questions Medium
The main difference between a dash and a hyphen lies in their length and usage.
A hyphen (-) is a shorter punctuation mark used to join words or parts of words together. It is commonly used in compound words, such as "mother-in-law" or "self-esteem," to connect the different elements. Hyphens are also used to divide words at the end of a line when they cannot fit entirely.
On the other hand, a dash (–) is longer than a hyphen and has different purposes. There are two types of dashes: the en dash (–) and the em dash (—).
The en dash is slightly longer than a hyphen and is primarily used to indicate a range or connection between two elements. For example, "pages 10–15" or "the New York–London flight." It is also used to show a connection between two people or things, such as "the Obama–Biden administration."
The em dash is the longest of the three and is used to indicate a break or interruption in a sentence. It can be used to set off a parenthetical phrase or to emphasize a particular point. For example, "I have three favorite colors—blue, green, and purple." The em dash can also replace other punctuation marks, such as commas, colons, or parentheses, to create a more dramatic or abrupt effect.
In summary, while a hyphen is a shorter punctuation mark used to join words, an en dash is used to indicate a range or connection, and an em dash is used to indicate a break or interruption in a sentence.