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Goronsky Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

What is your personal preference with the m-dash?

What is your personal preference with the m-dash—unspaced—(as I did here) or with a single space on each side — like this — ? I'd like your opinion too, Mister Micawber.

Thanks.
  

Top answer

My personal preference is to avoid using such dashes at all. Very broadly speaking, I feel they often encourage unclear and even careless writing. Clive

— Clive

  • My personal preference is to avoid using such dashes at all.
  • Very broadly speaking, I feel they often encourage unclear and even careless writing.
  • Clive
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5 Answers
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My personal preference is to avoid using such dashes at all. Emotion: stick out tongue
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Some of the other people here may offer you another point of view. Emotion: geeked
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goronskyWhat is your personal preference with the m-dash
I would consult the style guide that the publishing institution uses and go by that.
I never bother to insert an em-dash (or en-dash) symbol in casual communications such as email. There is no separate key for them on the QWERTY keyboard. I seldom use dashes anyway.
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goronskypersonal preference with the m-dash
space m-dash space. I like the look of it better.

However, I'm often told that I'm wrong and that, according to most style manuals, I should not use the spaces.
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