Are you a dashaholic? It’s a factor, apparently. I’m extra of a colon abuser myself: as if all the pieces I write is so necessary it requires the colon’s drumroll impact. I’ve identified various comma junkies, too.
Irrespective of your punctuation poison, there’s a straightforward antidote. The interval. Let’s take a look at the function of every of those marks and the way to not abuse them.
Dashes are extensively misunderstood. Lots of people name hyphens dashes. Heck, even I name hyphens dashes after I’m studying my insurance coverage coverage quantity over the cellphone: “Two, 9, three, sprint, one, one, eight.” However in textual content, dashes are one thing fairly totally different. Not like hyphens that join a phrase with one other phrase, prefix or suffix, as in “best-dressed,” dashes work on the sentence stage — like this.
Dashes have two primary jobs. A splash can signify an abrupt change in sentence construction — a shift like this that doesn’t match with the grammar of the primary a part of the sentence. Or a splash can work like parentheses — setting off lists, parenthetical info, and so on. — whenever you really feel parentheses received’t minimize it. Guidelines for dashes don’t say you should use them to hitch full clauses — this clause is an instance. This is without doubt one of the commonest abuses of the sprint I see — individuals use them to string collectively two issues that might stand alone as sentences. I suppose a unfastened interpretation of that “abrupt change in sentence construction” rule makes this OK. However after I’m enhancing, I make every clause into its personal sentence, separating them with a interval.
By the way in which, we’re speaking about em dashes, not en dashes, that are shorter, much less extensively used and have extra in frequent with a hyphen than with a splash. En dashes are sometimes seen in compounds like “post-World Battle II,” connecting longer names and correct names with prefixes and different phrases. Courting again to days when newswires couldn’t transmit sure marks, information media have historically prevented the en sprint and right now simply use a hyphen as a substitute.
Colons are just like dashes, simply with slightly extra oomph: They set off an concept from a primary sentence, however they recommend a higher emphasis. This is usually a single phrase, as on this Related Press Stylebook instance: “He had just one pastime: consuming.” Or a number of full sentences can comply with the colon. If the phrases that comply with the colon don’t make up a whole sentence, don’t capitalize the primary letter. But when a number of sentences is launched by a colon, capitalize the primary letter. By no means double-space after a colon.
Colons may also introduce examples and lists, as on this sentence from the Chicago Guide of Fashion. “The watch got here with a alternative of three bands: chrome steel, plastic or leather-based.” However by no means use a colon after the phrase “together with” to arrange an inventory. “The watch got here with a alternative of 4 bands together with chrome steel, plastic and leather-based.””
Colons that scream “take heed to what I’m about to say” too loudly ought to most likely get replaced by a interval. I’ll attempt to take my very own recommendation on this.
Commas have plenty of jobs, however they will’t join two impartial clauses with out an “and,” “or” or “however.” This sentence is an instance of a comma splice, you shouldn’t use commas this manner.
Technically, a semicolon can hyperlink impartial clauses. However they shouldn’t as a result of — properly, yuck. Semicolons to hyperlink clauses make sentences longer and fewer readable with nothing to realize besides an opportunity for the author to point out off her information of semicolons. Impolite.
Dashes, colons and commas have a correct function to play between clauses. However in the event you’re utilizing them to cram a number of concepts right into a single sentence, ask your self whether or not a interval would make the passage extra palatable to your reader.
June Casagrande is the creator of “The Greatest Punctuation E book, Interval.” She may be reached at JuneTCN@aol.com.
