Similar to an extended hyphen (-), an em dash is used to show a break in thought or a shift of tone. Most keyboards and software programs lack the em dash, therefore it must be created using a special function key supported by the software program or by entering two hyphens (–).

Em, Em space, En dash, Hyphen, Punctuation, Word processor terms

  • How to insert an En dash or Em dash in Microsoft Word.
  • Additional information on getting this character into HTML or a web page.