NCO Primary Leadership Subjects
Dashes
Dashes are used to mark a sudden break or change in thought They provide a
Purpose
stronger but less formal break than the semicolon or colon. When word processing,
use two hyphens for a dash.
Dashes are never used:
At the beginning of any line of type.
Immediately after a comma, colon, or semicolon.
Read the rules and examples for using dashes in the table. Then practice applying
Rules
the rules in the exercises that follow the table.
Use a dash...
Example
to indicate a sudden change in
If the bill should pass-God forbid!-the
thought.
service will be wrecked.
He said-and no one contradicted him-
"The battle is lost"
in place of commas or parentheses, to
Call Sergeant Roper-the real expert-and
emphasis one thought between
get his opinion
dashes.
before a final clause that summarizes
Freedom of speech, freedom of worship,
a series of ideas.
freedom from want, freedom from fear-
these are the fundamentals of moral world
order.
before a quotation mark, in place of a How can you explain this-"Fee paid, ."
colon.
Punctuate these sentences:
Practice
a. Housing measured by today's prices was cheap in 1958.
b. Here is a fuller explanation but perhaps you are not interested.
c. The company needed one thing more training.
d. The man who knew what action had been taken the first sergeant was on leave.
Continued on next page
Writing Mechanics and Composition
2-35
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