THE LETTER
17 The hyphen, the en dash, and the em dash
THESE THREE HORIZONTAL MARKS are often misunderstood and confused. The hyphen connects linked words and phrases and also may be found when a word breaks from one line to the next. An en dash (slightly longer than a hyphen but shorter than an em dash) is used to connect a range of numbers (i.e., 20–30). An em dash, the longest of these horizontal marks, is used to set off a separate thought or grammatical break within the text, and it is often used in tandem with another em dash at the end of the break. This is a generally recognized standard; however, Robert Bringhurst advises a more refined version of these rules: using spaced en dashes rather than em dashes (reserving em dashes to introduce speakers in a narrative dialogue) and using close-set en dashes to connect a range of numbers.
Art Director
Arem Duplessis
Art Director, Designer
Gail Bichler
Client
The New York Times Magazine
The em dashes set off a separate thought; they look best with a generous space on either side.
Project
Stats spread
Redesign Art Director
Francesca Messina
Co-Designer
Amy Rosenfeld
Client
Businessworld
Number ranges show the proper use of en dashes, and word breaks show the proper use of hyphens. Em dashes are used to indicate a lack of data in the chart.
