An en dash (–) is a punctuation mark that falls between the length of a hyphen (-) and an em dash (—). It derives its name from being approximately the width of an uppercase letter “N.” The en dash has specific applications in written language:
- Expressing Ranges: Its primary role is to denote ranges of values, such as numbers, dates, or time.
Example: pages 10–15, the years 2010–2022, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
- Connecting Related Items: It can link related items or concepts, especially when they form a compound term.
Example: the New York–London flight, the January–February issue
- Linking Scores or Versus: In sports scores or comparisons, the en dash represents scores or indicates “versus.”
Example: The final score was 3–2. The team A–B match.
To type an en dash on a keyboard
- Windows: Hold the “Alt” key and type “0150” on the numeric keypad.
- macOS: Press “Option” + “Hyphen.”
- Linux: Press the compose key and two hyphens for an en dash.
- Microsoft Word: Simultaneously press “Ctrl” and the “-” key on the numeric keypad.
Proper use of the en dash contributes to clearer and more precise communication in writing.
