How To Use Dashes And Ellipses

An ellipsis is created in word by typing three periods consecutively.

How to use dashes and ellipses. Cms uses no spaces around em dashes. Dashes parentheses brackets ellipses. The following punctuation marks should be used sparingly as they are more specialized than those that appear above. Em dashes can be used instead of parentheses commas colons and ellipses. Use a dash to draw attention to parenthetical information to prepare for changes in tone or to introduce or emphasize information.

Dash and ellipsis 1. Not just for emojis. Dashes and ellipses how to use each 2. Home screenwriting worldbuilding storytelling film tv analysis courses about. Let s move into show not tell now.

For example here is a pause from the screenplay for chinatown written by robert towne. An ellipsis takes the place of missing words. Ap puts spaces on each side of em dashes en dash ctrl minus far top right on the number pad. Usually has a space on both sides. A dash is a highlighter.

Note how the dashes in the opening monologue from michael clayton written by tony gilroy indicate a character interrupting themselves and changing to another line of thought. Em dash or em rule noun. Ellipses and dashes are not interchangeable but the misuse of either and both is common. In this scriptwriting tutorial i ll show you how to use the dash and ellipsis correctly. Using commas before and after this interruption would be too confusing.

Em dash ctrl alt minus far top right on the number pad. A dash is used to indicate an interruption in dialogue to introduce a list of items or to signal an explanation the writer wants to emphasize. Ellipses and dashes often confuse beginning screenwriters.