Lesson 20 Grammar Lesson “Dash & Hyphen” By: Claudia, Diego, Matias, Luis

Dash vs. Hyphen The Dash (–) The dash should be used when making a brief interruption within a statement, a sudden change of thought, an additional comment, or a dramatic qualification. It is slightly longer than the hyphen. The Hyphen (-) The Hyphen is used in many number of places. It is slightly shorter than the dash.

Dash (–) The dash should be used: in phone numbers Ex. Call 875–123–4567 to liquidate your cash assets free of tax! to indicate a range of numbers Ex. Mr. Anderson served as arbiter in a nasty divorce from 2001– to indicate a break in thought or sudden change of thought The Columbian Cartel– although illegal– controls 70% of the drug export in the US!

Hyphen (-) The hyphen can be used when: a long word might split between two lines. (typewriter) adding a prefix to some words Ex. The Corporation had to audit their financial accounts after they found out that the ex- president had taken some money. creating compound words (nouns) from separate words Ex. The up-to-date newspaper reporters were quick to jump on the latest scandal. writing numbers out as words Ex. There are fifty-two playing cards in a deck.

PRACTICE TIME!

- Identify where a dash (–) or hyphen (-) should be placed. 1. The hurricanes collateral damage left the city with a debt of fifty eight million dollars. 2. If you wish to buy or sell any commodity, you may call me at After getting his master’s degree at age 40, my ex husband got a lucrative position as a software developer.

- Identify where a dash (–) or hyphen (-) should be placed. 4. In 1995, Ciba merged with another Swiss firm, Sandoz, to form the conglo merate Novartis. 5. She offered her best pair of stiletto shoes black Gucci pumps as security for the loan of her sister’s angora sweater. 6. The company’s sales accrued by almost two million dollars from

Answers 1.Hyphen - 2.Dash– 3.Hyphen - 4.Hyphen - 5.Dash– 6.Dash –

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