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Believer Posted 19 years ago
Grammar

Those side remarks

Hi, I would like to use those what look to be side comments in a sentence, employing a punctuation mark called a 'dash.' Should we put them in front or back?

Probably -- most of us have.

Okay let's see -- I need to read:
  

Top answer

A dash goes on each side of information that is parenthetical, or not necessary for the grammatical strucure of the sentence. African elephants -- the larger species with the rounded ears -- are a seriously endangered species. Jim -- who even I admit has grown up a lot since those days on the playground when he would throw mud at the girls -- is now dating Alice's sister.

— BarbaraPA

  • A dash goes on each side of information that is parenthetical, or not necessary for the grammatical strucure of the sentence.
  • African elephants -- the larger species with the rounded ears -- are a seriously endangered species.
  • Jim -- who even I admit has grown up a lot since those days on the playground when he would throw mud at the girls -- is now dating Alice's sister.
  • When you use a dash to show an abrupt change of though, but it where the pause would go.
  • Let's go to the movies -- oh wait, nevermind, they just raised their prices and I can't afford it.
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1 Answers
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A dash goes on each side of information that is parenthetical, or not necessary for the grammatical strucure of the sentence.

African elephants -- the larger species with the rounded ears -- are a seriously endangered species.
Jim -- who even I admit has grown up a lot since those days on the playground when he would throw mud at the girls -- is now dating Alice's sister.
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