Using hyphens (-), en dashes (–), and em dashes (—) correctly
Hyphen: word-word | En dash: number–number | Em dash: word—word
Don't use hyphens for ranges; don't use dashes in compound adjectives
Same rules apply in questions
💡 Hyphen is shortest (-), en dash is medium (–), em dash is longest (—).
✓She's a well-known actress.
✗She's a well known actress.
Compound adjectives before a noun need a hyphen.
✓Read chapters 5–8 for homework.
✗Read chapters 5-8 for homework.
Use en dash for ranges, not hyphen.
✓The answer—surprisingly—was yes.
✗The answer-surprisingly-was yes.
Use em dashes for interruptions or parenthetical statements.