Grammar - Dashes, Parentheses, and Quotation Marks - Quick Guides | English

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Study GuideGrammar–Dashes, Parentheses, and Quotation Marks1.What Are Dashes and ParenthesesDashes and parentheses are punctuation marks thatinterrupt a sentenceto add extra information.They can help clarify your writing or provide additional details without breaking the flow completely.•Dashes (—)often create emphasis or a dramatic pause.•Parentheses ( )usually include supplementary information that is less essential to the mainsentence.•Brackets [ ]are used only when adding your own wordsinside parenthesesorwithin aquotationto clarify or comment.1.1Use Them SparinglyBeginning writers sometimes overuse dashes or parentheses, which can make writing feel clutteredor confusing. Good writing is usuallydirect and well-organized, so these marks should be usedonlywhen necessary.2.Uses of the DashA dash (—) is a punctuation mark thatsignals an interruption or emphasizes a point. It can bemore dramatic than a comma and less formal than a colon. Dashes are versatile, but they should beusedpurposefully and sparingly.2.1. Indicating InterruptionsUse a dash when you want to interrupt a sentence with a phrase or clause.•Single dash:interrupts the sentence once.She was extraordinarily tall—the tallest woman I'd ever seen.•Pair of dashes:encloses an interruption in the middle of a sentence.She walked in—the tallest woman I'd ever seen—and took a seat at the counter.

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Study Guide2.2. Introducing a Restatement or ExplanationLike a colon, a dash can introduce anexplanation, restatement, or clarification—similar to sayingthat is,in other words, ornamely. Begin the clause after the dash with alowercase letter.Example:•The reporter relentlessly pursued the woman—he was determined to get her to make astatement.Tip: While colons are more formal, dashes are a bit more casual and conversational.2.3. Dashes with CommasWhen using dashes toset off interrupting elements, donotinclude commas.Correct:•She saw her sisters—all five of them—standing in front of the building.Incorrect:•She saw her sisters—all five of them—, standing in front of the building.2.4. Dashes with Quotation Marks•If the dash isnot part of the quoted material, place itoutside the quotation marks.“He wants the money”—I paused for effect—“and he wants it now.”•Use a dashwithin quotation marksto showunfinished dialogue, and omit commas orperiods.“Help! Help! I can't seem to—” She fell to the ground, gasping for breath.Key Takeaways•A dash highlights interruptions or adds emphasis.•It can replace a colon for restatements or explanations.•Avoid combining dashes with unnecessary commas.•Use dashes with quotations carefully—outside quotes for narrative interruption, inside quotesfor unfinished dialogue.Dashes are powerful tools when you want tograb attention or clarify meaning, but overusing themcan make writing feel choppy.

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Study Guide3.Quiz: Uses of the DashQuestion 1Choose theFALSEstatement.Answer Choices• A dash serves a purpose similar to a comma, semicolon, or colon.•Use a dash if you don't want to interrupt the flow of a sentence.• Like a colon, a dash can be used to introduce a restatement of a word or phrase.Correct AnswerUse a dash if you don't want to interrupt the flow of a sentence.Why This Is Correct• A dashdoesinterrupt the flow of a sentence for emphasis.• Commas are used when you donotwant an interruption.Question 2Choose theTRUEstatement.Answer Choices•A dash or a pair of dashes indicate an interruption in a sentence.• Dashes are used to indicate strong emotion by the speaker.• Dashes let the reader know that the verb is in the conditional tense.Correct AnswerA dash or a pair of dashes indicate an interruption in a sentence.

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Study GuideWhy This Is Correct• Dashes signal sudden breaks, interruptions, or added emphasis.• They do not indicate emotion or verb tense.Question 3Fill in the blank.If a dash indicatesunfinished dialogue, place it ________Answer Choices•within the quotation marks and omit commas or periods.• outside the quotation marks and add the final period.• within the quotation marks and add the final period.Correct Answerwithin the quotation marks and omit commas or periods.Why This Is Correct• The dash replaces ending punctuation.• It shows the speaker was interrupted.Question 4Fill in the blank.If a dash isnotpart of a quotation, place it ________Answer Choices• inside the quotation marks.• at the end of the quotation.•outside the quotation marks.

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Study GuideCorrect Answeroutside the quotation marks.Why This Is Correct• Punctuation not belonging to quoted material is placedoutsidethe quotation marks.Question 5The plan for the new downtown arena (I can't wait to see it) will be unveiled tomorrow.One way to correctly rewrite the above sentence usingdashesis ________Answer Choices•The plan for the new downtown arena—I can't wait to see it—will be unveiled tomorrow.• The plan for the new downtown arena,—I can't wait to see it—,will be unveiled tomorrow.• The plan for the new downtown arena, I can't wait to see it—!will be unveiled tomorrow.Correct AnswerThe plan for the new downtown arena—I can't wait to see it—will be unveiled tomorrow.Why This Is Correct• The dash pair correctly replaces parentheses for emphasis.• No commas or exclamation marks are needed.Question 6Which sentence isCORRECT?Answer Choices• Corporate wellness programs improve employee morale—And they reduce health insurance costs.• Corporate wellness programs improve employee morale,—and they reduce health insurance costs.•Corporate wellness programs improve employee morale—and they reduce health insurancecosts.

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Study GuideCorrect AnswerCorporate wellness programs improve employee morale—and they reduce health insurancecosts.Why This Is Correct• The dash correctly joins two closely related independent clauses.• No extra commas or capitalization are needed.Question 7Which sentence isCORRECT?Answer Choices• The CEO wanted the wireless network installed—immediately—!•The CEO wanted the wireless network installed—immediately!• The CEO wanted the wireless network installed immediately—!Correct AnswerThe CEO wanted the wireless network installed—immediately!Why This Is Correct• The dash adds emphasis toimmediately.• The exclamation mark ends the sentence correctly.4.Problems with DashesDashes are very noticeable in writing, sousing them too often can distract the reader. Keep this inmind: punctuation shouldclarify, not overwhelm, your writing.

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Study Guide4.1. Don’t Overuse DashesBecause dashes stand out more than commas, it’s easy to overuse them. Only use a dash when youwant to emphasize or interrupt a sentence—otherwise, stick to commas, parentheses, or otherpunctuation.Rule of thumb:Don’t let a dash become the star of your sentence.4.2. Don’t Confuse Dashes with HyphensIt’s important to distinguish between adashand ahyphen:•Hyphen (-): Joins words or breaks syllables.oExample:pre-existing•En dash (–): Short dash used for ranges.oExample:April 1–5, pages 70–75•Em dash (—): Longer dash for interruptions or emphasis.oTyping tip: Typetwo hyphens (--)with no spaces; most word processors will convertit automatically.Examples•Incorrect:oMs. Persinger‐the most important official in the city‐okayed the plan.•Acceptable (typed with two hyphens):oMs. Persinger‐‐the most important official in the city‐‐okayed the plan.•Better (em dash):oMs. Persinger—the most important official in the city—okayed the plan.Key Takeaways1.Use dashessparinglyto avoid distracting the reader.2.Don’t confuse dashes with hyphens—they have different purposes.3.Em dashes (—) are best for interruptions or emphasis; en dashes (–) are for ranges.

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Study Guide5.Quiz: Problems with DashesQuestion 1Which example showsCORRECT use of the dash or pair of dashes?Answer Choices•The committee—one week before the official building dedication—scheduled a practice run-through.• The committee scheduled—a practice run-through one week before the official building dedication.• One week—before the official building dedication—the committee wanted to run through theceremony.Correct AnswerThe committee—one week before the official building dedication—scheduled a practice run-through.Why This Is Correct• The pair of dashes correctly sets off an interrupting phrase.• The sentence remains clear and grammatically complete without the interrupting information.Question 2Which example showsCORRECT use of the hyphen?Answer Choices• The committee-one week before the official building dedication-scheduled a practice run-through.•The committee scheduled a practice run-through one week before the official buildingdedication.• One-week before the official building dedication, the committee wanted to run through the ceremony.

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Study GuideCorrect AnswerThe committee scheduled a practice run-through one week before the official building dedication.Why This Is Correct• No hyphen is needed inone week before.• The other choices misuse hyphens in place of dashes or where no hyphen belongs.Question 3Which of the following isFALSE?Answer Choices• Dashes and commas can often be used interchangeably in writing.• Do not overuse dashes in your writing as they could become a distraction.•Use dashes frequently, because the reader will notice them more than commas.Correct AnswerUse dashes frequently, because the reader will notice them more than commas.Why This Is Correct• Dashes are meant for emphasis, not frequent use.• Overusing them distracts readers and weakens writing.Question 4Which sentence abouthyphensisTRUE?Answer Choices• A hyphen is mainly used to break syllables of a word.• A hyphen is used to set off an interrupting phrase or clause in a sentence.•A hyphen and a dash are the same size and used for the same purpose.

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Study GuideCorrect AnswerNone of the above is true.Correction & WhyTo clarify for students:• Ahyphenjoins words or word parts (well-known author).• Adashsets off interruptions or adds emphasis.• They arenotthe same size andnotused for the same purpose.6.Uses of ParenthesesParentheses ( ) are punctuation marks used toset off extra or incidental informationin a sentence.They are useful for adding minor comments, examples, explanations, or clarifications withoutdisrupting the main sentence flow.6.1. Setting Off Incidental InformationParentheses enclose information that isadditionalbut not essential to the sentence. You could alsouse commas or dashes, but parentheses are less intrusive.Examples:•Some of the local store owners (Mr. Kwan and Ms. Lawson, for example) insisted that thestreet be widened.•Roger Worthington (a poorly drawn character in the novel) reveals the secret in the lastchapter.Tip: Overusing parentheses can distract the reader, so use them sparingly.6.2. Other Punctuation Marks with Parentheses•Before parentheses:Donotput a punctuation mark.•After parentheses:Place a comma only if the sentence would normally require it.

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