# Dash It All

I learned the difference between a dash and a semicolon—and
when to use them—from my English teacher, [Suzanne Ehst][1],
back in 1998, my junior year of high school.[^1] I learned
[the difference between an en-dash and an em-dash][2] from
[Matthew Butterick][3] in 2013.[^2]

I use dashes in my writing to adjust the cadence so it feels
more like spoken word or transcribed thought.[^3] I type
them without thinking on my preferred computing platforms
(macOS: `option` + `shift` + `-`; iOS: long-press `-` then
select the longest dash). And, if I have to, I copy them
from [my list of useful punctuation][4].

Some Angry Internet People claim that _any_ text written
with em dashes _must_ have been composed by an LLM because
_no one_ uses dashes in their writing. I disagree. I’ve used
the right punctuation in my prose—dashes included—for
decades. I’ll keep using them appropriately, even if I risk
getting falsely accused of passing off GenAI slop as my own
work.

[^1]: A clause appended to a sentence with a semicolon should be a complete sentence on its own. A sentence fragment must be appended to a sentence with an em-dash. Sue explained it like this: a semicolon is an RV pulling a car; a dash is an RV pulling a trailer.
[^2]: An en dash “–“ is used to in a range e.g. 10–20. An em dash “—“ is the right punctuation for appending a clause to a sentence or for a parenthetical statement.
[^3]: I was once chided for using em dashes too often in scientific writing in 2004—the only editorial feedback I remember from college.

[1]: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzanne-ehst-816730a2
[2]: https://practicaltypography.com/hyphens-and-dashes.html
[3]: https://matthewbutterick.com/
[4]: /lists/punctuation/