Thanks - now dashes

Question

Thanks for the help with the last post - just one other little thing - dashes!

Can you check this use of the dash for me? I think it's right but my editor has always hated then so I have always avoided using them but in this occaison I'm forced. If you could help again I would be extremely grateful.

Many thanks again

Rosa

Miriam · Accepted Answer

Hello, Rosa. Welcome to the forums!

There is something wrong with those dashes, in my opinion. You could think of both dashes and parentheses as being similar to commas. There are differences among them, though.

Dashes tend to be used instead of commas in certain cases in which, for example, there are already many commas in one sentence and more commas might make it difficult to understand. Then you can use dashes.

Dashes are more informal than commas and they suggest an "impromptu aside" rather than a planned inclusion.

In your sentence, I personally wouldn't use either dashes or commas. I'd break your sentence into two shorter ones because I cannot see it as a whole unit:
"Thanks for the help with the last post. Just one other little thing: dashes!"

I don't know if this will help. There are surely other ways in which your sentence would look better.
But I insist that I wouldn't use either dashes or commas in yours.

Miriam

Thanks - now dashes

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