how do i know when to use -, –, or —? i know the short one is for between words (like twenty-two) but i’m not sure how to know which length to use when writing it into the sentence (i hope i phrased that right??). are there rules? does it matter?

kiramartinauthor:

You’re going to be able to find a lot more in depth answer here. But the short of it is:

– : This is a hyphen.

– : This is an en-dash.

— : This is an em-dash.

The hyphen is used to connect words, like you say. Ex: Twenty-two, ex-boyfriend.

The en-dash is used in the context of a span of time. Ex: 1996–2018, February–March.

The em-dash is used when inserting a thought. Ex: He wouldn’t—couldn’t—go home.

Good question! Hope this helps 😊