Spaces with em-dashes
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Spaces with em-dashes
I am writing a review, and I am unsure if I should count this as an error: em-dashes (or long dashes) should have no spaces before or after, according to the Oxford Dictionary, but looking it up online I did find some discordant opinions about it. What do you think?
I would be sorry to mark as an error something that it is not.
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Hi!marba wrote: ↑20 Oct 2021, 08:52 Hello!
I am writing a review, and I am unsure if I should count this as an error: em-dashes (or long dashes) should have no spaces before or after, according to the Oxford Dictionary, but looking it up online I did find some discordant opinions about it. What do you think?
I would be sorry to mark as an error something that it is not.
You're right that most style guides recommend having no spaces before or after an em dash; however, the AP style allows for a space on either side. This link discusses it further: https://www.thepunctuationguide.com/em-dash.html.
Since OBC does not enforce a specific style guide (for books or reviews), this should not be marked as an error.
Rosa Parks
- marta baglioni
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MsH2k wrote: ↑20 Oct 2021, 12:46Hi!marba wrote: ↑20 Oct 2021, 08:52 Hello!
I am writing a review, and I am unsure if I should count this as an error: em-dashes (or long dashes) should have no spaces before or after, according to the Oxford Dictionary, but looking it up online I did find some discordant opinions about it. What do you think?
I would be sorry to mark as an error something that it is not.
You're right that most style guides recommend having no spaces before or after an em dash; however, the AP style allows for a space on either side. This link discusses it further: https://www.thepunctuationguide.com/em-dash.html.
Since OBC does not enforce a specific style guide (for books or reviews), this should not be marked as an error.
Thank you so much for your reply! It was really helpful
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Are you using windows or Mac? Shortcuts are different for both.Oshuare Aregbeyen wrote: ↑11 Dec 2021, 16:38 Excuse me, but do you know how I can create an em dash? I don't see it on my keyboard. I thought the hyphen turns into one when I leave a space before it - but no. I just got dinged on a review because my em dashes came out as hyphens.
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If you are using an phone, long-pressing the hyphen should bring both the em and en-dashes.Oshuare Aregbeyen wrote: ↑11 Dec 2021, 16:38 Excuse me, but do you know how I can create an em dash? I don't see it on my keyboard. I thought the hyphen turns into one when I leave a space before it - but no. I just got dinged on a review because my em dashes came out as hyphens.
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Windows.Are you using windows or Mac? Shortcuts are different for both.
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People do these things on their phones?!If you are using an phone, long-pressing the hyphen should bring both the em and en-dashes.
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Thanks Shravsi! That really did help a lot.shravsi wrote: ↑23 Dec 2021, 23:58 This might help: https//www.techtoolsforwriters/how-to-create-an-em-dash/
I think I can easily create an em dash in a Word doc now, just apparently not directly in the OBC review forms.
Thank you very much.
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Trust the Oxford Dictionarymarba wrote: ↑20 Oct 2021, 08:52 Hello!
I am writing a review, and I am unsure if I should count this as an error: em-dashes (or long dashes) should have no spaces before or after, according to the Oxford Dictionary, but looking it up online I did find some discordant opinions about it. What do you think?
I would be sorry to mark as an error something that it is not.
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Hi! It is a common practice to not leave spaces before or after em-dashes. On the other hand, with the en-dashes (short dashes), spaces are usually recommended. It is more to do with aesthetics than grammar. When you use an en-dash and fail to leave spaces before or after it, the sentence usually looks jammed up, unlike with an em-dash which is slightly longer.marba wrote: ↑20 Oct 2021, 08:52 Hello!
I am writing a review, and I am unsure if I should count this as an error: em-dashes (or long dashes) should have no spaces before or after, according to the Oxford Dictionary, but looking it up online I did find some discordant opinions about it. What do you think?
I would be sorry to mark as an error something that it is not.
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It is something that confuses me.