Dashes and slashes

What are hyphens, dashes, em dashes, en dashes and slashes?

This is a dash, also known as a hyphen, depending on use -

This is an en dash –

This is an em dash —

This is a slash /

The dash or hyphen is the shortest, and the em dash is the longest. We commonly use dashes or hyphens and en dashes, but we never use em dashes.

Dashes or hyphens

Below are some general rules and examples for using hyphens on raisingchildren.net.au. See the spelling list for more examples. If you can't find the word you need consult the Macquarie Dictionary.

Prefixes

When the last letter of a single-syllable prefix is the same vowel as the first letter of the word with which it is combined, use a hyphen:

de-emphasise not deemphasise

Exceptions include:

coordinate 

cooperate

The combination of 2 different vowels does not normally require a hyphen:

prearrange

Two-syllable prefixes ending in a vowel other than o and followed by another vowel are often hyphenated, whereas if the base word begins with a consonant, no hyphen is required:

anti-aircraft but antisocial

Two-syllable prefixes ending in o are rarely followed by a hyphen:

macroeconomics

Self is always hyphenated:

the self-aware toddler 

self-knowledge 

self-esteem

self-compassion

Compound nouns

For compound nouns consisting of a verb and an adverb, generally use a hyphen:

go-ahead

Many compound nouns consisting of a noun and a participle should be hyphenated:

problem-solving 

role-playing

Compound adjectives

When a compound adjective consists of 2 adjectives, or of a noun plus an adjective, the expression is hyphenated before the noun but not after the noun:

blue-green (two adjectives)

the discipline-specific study (noun plus adjective, before the noun)

the study was discipline specific (noun plus adjective, after the noun)

Exceptions include set phrases consisting of a noun plus a noun or an adjective plus a noun, which are not usually hyphenated:

a governmental agency ruling (adjective plus noun)

an equal opportunity employer (noun plus noun)

Compound adjectives involving past or present participles usually take a hyphen:

a government-based initiative

a problem-solving exercise

Compound adjectives consisting of an adverb not ending in ly plus a participle are usually hyphenated:

a quick-learning toddler

a fast-growing baby

Compound adjectives involving well are usually hyphenated:

well-structured

well-researched

well-known

Compound adjectives of more than 2 words are usually hyphenated before the noun but not after:

the up-to-date report

the report was up to date

the 20-year-old equipment

the equipment was 20 years old

Hanging hyphens

Hanging hyphens are best avoided as they look messy on the page and on the screen.

This is an example of a hanging hyphen:

The emails will be sent to mothers of 2- and 3-month-old babies.

Em dashes 

We don't use em dashes.

En dashes

We use en dashes to add extra information to a sentence or to highlight information. We often use them before the phrase 'for example'.

Try setting aside time for fun family outings – you could all take turns choosing activities. 

Give your child a healthy snack to eat before school starts – for example, a sandwich or some natural yoghurt with fruit.

En dashes might sometimes be used in link asset titles.

A note about typing en dashes in the CMS

You can't type en dashes directly into the html editor in the CMS. To add en dashes, you need to copy and paste from Word.

Slashes

We avoid using slashes –for example, and/or constructions.