Dashes

• Punctuation marks help the reader understand what the writer is trying to say
• A dash look like this  —  and is slightly longer than a hyphen  -
• The use of dashes creates both an informal and a dramatic effect
• Dashes can be used used to highlight information within a parenthesis - The children—unsure of what to do—walked back home.
• Dashes can be used in place of semi-colons and colons – An old woman lived in a  small cottage—the only dwelling near a ruined castle.
• They can also show an abrupt interruption in dialogue - "I beg your pardon," said Alice very humbly, "but I haven't quite finished my tea—" - Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll