The Russian language is large and complex. One of the reasons for the difficulty of learning the Russian language is the flexibility of its grammatical structures. Memorizing the entire set of rules for punctuation is an almost impossible task even for those who consider Russian their native language. One of the most difficult in terms of punctuation is the usual dash.
Dash Rules
The following rules describe when to put a dash in a sentence (examples in brackets to illustrate the rules). So, in what cases is a dash put:
- Between the predicate and the subject, if the predicate is a noun and is used in the nominative case. (A wolf is an animal. A good car is a man's dream.) If the predicate is with the particle not, then the dash is omitted. (A car is not a luxury.);
- Between the predicate and the subject, if the subject is in the nominative case, and the predicate is the indefinite form of the verb, or if they are both verbs of the indefinite form. (The dream is to live forever. To sleep is not to carry bags.);
- A dash is placed before "this" if the predicate is attached to the subject with this word. This rule applies to the words "this is", "here", "this means" (A lion is a beast. Flying is a worthy dream.);
- Before generalizing words after enumerations. (The eye, nose, mouth - everything on the face. Neither tears, nor prayer - nothing touched him.);
- Before an appendix if it is at the end of a sentence. (He wanted one thing - money and only money.);
- Between a pair of predicates or sentences, if in the second - a sharp opposition or unexpected attachment to the first. (I came - and everyone is already here! I wanted to drink - I dropped the glass.);
- Between sentences or words connected without conjunctions to emphasize a sharp contrast. (Not the water in that bowl is the nectar of the gods.);
- Between sentences, if the second contains a conclusion from the first or a result and is not connected by a union. (The palm itches - there will be money. Fingers in the socket - it will shock.);
- Between the subordinate and main clauses, if the main comes second and is not joined by a union. (The forest is cut down - chips fly.);
- At the place where simple sentences break up into two groups of words, if it is impossible to express it in another way. (The enemy - to the dust! And the sergeant - the medal "For Courage.");
- In a sentence in the middle, two dashes highlight explanations and additions, if bracketing reduces the expressiveness of the text. (And Pakhomych - a rare bastard and a rogue - did not come at all.);
- In a sentence in the middle, two dashes highlight a common application if it is necessary to show its independence. (Behind the wall of the house - an ordinary rural five-wall - a whole detachment was hiding.);
- In a sentence in the middle, a group of homogeneous members is distinguished by two dashes. (Usually building materials - boards, nails, logs and staples - are prepared in advance.) If such a listing is preceded by a generalizing word, then a dash is needed only at the end. (The entire detachment, namely: Petya, Vasya, Igor and Semyon, did not enter the lineup.);
- After a comma, when it is necessary to separate the main sentence from the group of subordinate clauses and emphasize the disintegration of the whole into parts. (There will be an end of the world, there won't be - no one knows.);
- After the decimal point, when you need to specify an increase or decrease in the period. (People fly into space, curbed atomic energy, write brilliant music, create unprecedented structures - and you can’t take out the trash!);
- Between words, if these words limit the spatial, temporal or quantitative gap. (Flight Ankara - Yerevan. Break 5-7 minutes.);
- Between the constituent parts of the name of a teaching or scientific institutions. (Law of Biot-Savart-Laplace.);
As you can see, there are a lot of rules explaining when a dash is put, and not all cases are even listed here when this punctuation mark can be used. Also, information in which sentences a dash is placed can be found in the article “Why do you need a dash?”.
dash or colon
Often when writing, they confuse the cases when a dash is put, and when a colon is put. As a rule, a colon is placed before the enumeration, which is preceded by a generalizing word; before direct speech; before two or more sentences not connected by conjunctions, one of which explains the other.
Not only ordinary Internet users do not know when to put a dash and when a hyphen, but most copywriters do not know which character to use when writing text. And if we also take into account the fact that a number of unnecessary movements must be made to put down a dash, then one should not be surprised that in every second text published on the Internet, a hyphen is used as a dash.
What is the difference between a hyphen and a dash?
A hyphen is a spelling mark, like the same letters, that is embedded inside words. A hyphen is a short dash (-) and no spaces are made between it and word parts. The hyphen is also used as a hyphen.
A dash is a punctuation mark, like a comma, colon, period, and others, which is written between words and, as a rule, separated from them by spaces. There is an em dash (‒) and an em dash (-).
When is the en dash used?
Most writers are not used to distinguishing between hyphens and dashes. Therefore, these people do not always know when a dash is put and whether it should be short or long. But here you don’t need to memorize a lot, because an en dash must be placed between numerals or as a minus. In all other cases, as a rule, an em dash is used. Including the design of bulleted lists.
Many copywriters think about putting a dash or a hyphen between the numbers. These are echoes of the rules of the Russian language, once studied, but forgotten. A connecting short dash is placed between the numbers, which is not separated from them by spaces.. For example: 2002–2016, 2–3, II–VI, GOST 548–80, IEC 65797–96, 90–60–90.
An en dash is often used as a minus sign.. Although this dash should be shorter than a dash and longer than a hyphen. If the minus is written between the numbers, then it is separated from them by spaces (4 - 2 = 2). When it comes to temperature, the minus is not separated from the number by a space (‒1°C).
When is the em dash used?
Every copywriter needs to know where to put a dash and where a hyphen. Many people think that bulleted lists should have a hyphen. But this is a misconception. Lists must be formatted using em dashes. This rule follows from traditional Russian typography, where an em dash has always played the role of a list marker. It is also mentioned in the requirements for paperwork, according to GOST 2.105–95 of the Unified System for Design Documentation (ESKD).
Between the numerals in the meaning "from the first number to the second" an em dash is placed. For example, "five to eight months", meaning "from five to eight months." The same is true when designating the time interval - "in February - October 2016, 25 houses were built." This means that between February and October 2016, 25 houses were built.
When indicating quantitative, temporal, spatial limits and routes in the meaning "from and to", an em dash is used, which is separated from words by spaces. For example: Moscow - Simferopol, Siberia - Kazakhstan - Urals, Australia - America, XI - XIV centuries, two - three days.
Company names usually include an em dash between the names of cities or the names of two merged firms. Examples: "VKO Brilliant - Shungite", "Insurance Company Moscow - Sochi"
An em dash must be placed:
- in place of the missing member of the sentence (They love this cake, and I - very much);
- when highlighting direct speech (- I want to live in an ideal world, she shouted);
- between the subject and the predicate (Three times three - nine);
- when marking pauses (And he took it and turned away!);
- before “this”, “this is”, “here”, “this means” (Romance is what she dreams of);
- between the generalizing word that stands after the enumeration (Neither the singing of the nightingale, nor the voice of the rooster - nothing will wake her up);
- before the application, which is placed at the end of the sentence (She does not like this grass - wormwood);
- between two independent sentences, if the second contains an addition or opposition to the first (He has been everywhere - and yet he has not been anywhere);
- between two predicates;
- between homogeneous members of a sentence or two sentences connected without the use of unions, in order to express a sharp contrast (It is not surprising to destroy relations - it is not surprising to save);
- between two sentences that are connected without unions, if the result is in the second sentence (Stars strewn the sky - night has come);
- between two sentences related in meaning, where the subordinate clause comes first, and at the same time there are no subordinating conjunctions (He called himself a load - climb into the body);
- in order to indicate the place where a simple sentence splits into two verbal groups, if other punctuation marks are not used (Everyone obeys me, but I obey no one);
- in sentences in which they are inserted in the middle of a sentence in order to clarify or supplement when it is better to omit the brackets (Only once - at the very beginning of our journey - a strange incident occurred);
- when it is necessary to emphasize the shade of independence in a common application, standing after the noun being defined (In front of the club - a log house - a large crowd gathered);
- as an additional decimal point, before a repeating word that connects the main sentence with a new, developing, reinforcing or complementary one (Now she realized that all these shameless people - they will all be punished for their deeds);
- as an additional sign after the comma separating the main sentence from the subordinate clauses preceding it, when it is necessary to emphasize the split into two parts (Who did this, why and why, no one will know this);
- between proper names that denote a scientific institution or some kind of teaching (Boyle's gas law - Mariotte).
When should you use a hyphen?
Most people who are familiar with the rules of the Russian language know that if a word is a compound noun borrowed from a foreign language, then a hyphen is put in it. For example, vice president or ex-champion. In adjectives denoting shades and combinations of colors, hyphenation is also necessary. For example, light gray, red-yellow.
When you can put “or” between numerals, a hyphen is indicated (two or three days, one or two members of the sentence). In addition, hyphenation between numbers and letters is recommended. For example: 5-thousandth, 100-millionth, 6-hundredth. You can read more about which words use a hyphen.
How to type em dash, en dash and hyphen?
This part of the article will be especially useful for copywriters. In order not to forget its contents, it is recommended to bookmark this publication or make its announcement on the social network wall.
To create an em dash, you need to type "2014". And then, having selected this number, press the Alt and X buttons. The number will become a long dash “-”.
To create an en dash, you need to type "2012". Next, you need to do the same as in the previous case. The result is an en dash "‒".
With a hyphen, everything is much easier. There is a button on the keyboard, when pressed, this spelling character is typed. Otherwise, you can create a hyphen by typing the number "2011", highlighting it, and pressing the Alt and X buttons. The result is a short dash "-".
When is a dash, and when is a hyphen? Examples
Today, Marina was able to enjoy a new laptop, which she bought in a store hung with red and blue posters. She did not like this shop, as well as its tasteless decoration. But such low prices as there, she could not even imagine. She got a brand new computer for next to nothing.
In this computer shop - a tiny room, a crowd of buyers always gathered. And as a rule, the seller could not cope with his duties at all. Therefore, people had to stand for a long time to get what they needed.
All this - a small room and an endless queue greatly strained Marina. But when her computer burned out, on the recommendation of her friend, she decided to go to the store that disgusted her. It seemed to Marina that she had to stand in line for 2-3 hours until she was able to pick up the object of her desire - a brand new laptop.
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§ten
Between the subject and the nominal predicate in place of the missing link put a dash, if the subject and predicate are expressed by nouns in the form of the nominative case: The wing near the house on Sadovaya, designed by Mikhail Alexandrovich Vrubel, is the only building from the Mamontovs' possessions that has almost retained its appearance to this day.(Kis); Pushkin region - the land of stones(Geych.); This portrait is the only pictorial representation of the daughter of Anna Petrovna Kern(Geych.); …My ability to keep the past to myself is an inherited trait(Nab.); And the woman leaning over the fence is your second cousin aunt(Shcherb.).
§eleven
A dash is put before the predicate, attached to the subject by words here it is: "Respect for the past -here's the line that distinguishes education from savagery,” Pushkin once said(rasp.); Pushkinogorie -it is not only a monument historical and literary,this is and peculiar botanical and zoologicalgarden , a wonderful monument of nature(Geych.). As a link, a combination is also possible it is: hypotenuse -it is a side right triangle opposite the right angle(from the textbook).
§12
A dash is put when expressing both the subject and the predicate (or only the subject, or only the predicate) by the infinitive: In this cityknow three languages is an unnecessary luxury(Ch.); Nothing compares to the feelinghear them[rooks] for the first time since six months of winter death!(Boon.). The presence of negation does not remove the sign: Tea drink - not firewoodchop (last); Lifelive - not fieldgo (last). The same if the predicate contains words means, it means: Wait for permission -means lose time(gas.); Leave the institute now -this means lose everything(gas.); And to understand a person -means already sympathize with him(Shuksh.).
§13
A dash is put between the subject and the predicate, if they are expressed by numerals (or a phrase with a numeral), and also if one of the main members of the sentence is expressed by the numeral: So nine forty -three hundred sixty , So?(pis); Depth there from the boat -four primaries , that is, six meters(Shol.).
In the case of using a particle not before a predicate-numeral (cf. the same when expressing a predicate with a noun, § 15, p. 3), a dash is not put: A man can, for example, say that twice twonot four but five or three and a half; and the woman will say that twice two is a stearin candle(T.).
§fourteen
A dash is put with a predicate expressed by a phraseological phrase: Pie -real jam ; His talent isGod bless everyone ; Mother shed tears of joy, and father -whatever! (Cool.); Hut -so-so , barn(Shuksh.); Yefim himself -don't put your finger in your mouth (Shuksh.); And Victor -neither father nor mother (Cool.); Night -gouge out your eye! (A. Color.).
The presence of the particle not, as well as introductory words with stable combinations as a predicate, prevents the setting of a dash (but does not prohibit): This officernot like you , mister gendarme(Fed.); He is a scientist with us, and he plays the violin, and cuts out various things,in a word, jack of all trades (Ch.).
§fifteen
Dash between subject and nominal predicate not put:
1. If the subject is expressed by a personal or demonstrative pronoun: She is his daughter. He wants to understand her(Shcherb.); it cabinet? it bedroom?(Ch.)
2. If one of the main members is expressed by an interrogative pronoun, and the other by a noun or personal pronoun: Who your protector?What is study?Who she is?
3. If there is a negation with the predicate-noun: Landscape not a appendage to prose and not decoration (Paust.); Russianot Petersburg she is huge(Shv.); Old agenot joy (last). However, when contrasted, the predicate with negation requires a dash (not ... but): And at the same time he noticed that he was not a master in his house, but only an integral part of it.(M. G.) (cf. without opposition: He is not master in his house).
4. If the predicate is expressed by an adjective or participle: And your roomso good for a child(Ch.); I have a lot of good people, almost allgood ones (Sim.); He had two wounds. Woundseasy but the man lost a lot of blood(Paust.); log cabinpink, peeling, country-style small, covered with a green iron roof (Kav.); harsh autumnsad late view(Ill.); At the dining feast hot andardent (Ill.).
However, with a predicate-adjective, a dash is placed with a structural parallelism of parts of a sentence, accompanied in oral speech by intonational emphasis (stress) of both members of the sentence: Everything in her appearance attracted attention: sight -spicy , hairstyle -boyish , clothes -modern, fashionable ; cf. with emphasis on only the predicate: Weatherunbearable , roadbad , coachmanstubborn , the horses are not driven, but the caretaker is to blame(P.). A dash is also possible in the presence of several (homogeneous) predicates: Her son isyellow, long and glasses (M. G.).
5. If the predicate is expressed by a turnover with comparative particles like, like, that, exactly, sort of like and etc.: Lifelike a legend ; Skylike an open tent ; Broochlooks like a bee (Ch.); Forestlike a fairy tale ; A weekthat one day . Passes quickly; Pondlike shiny steel (Fet). A dash is not put and when introducing a predicate that lexically matches the subject: Ice like ice, desertlike deserts (Kav.); Villagelike a village ; small houselike a house - old, dark(Shuksh.).
6. If between the subject and the predicate-noun there is an introductory word, circumstance or addition, as well as a conjunction or particle: Rook,certainly , the bird is smart and independent, but it has no voice(Paust.); My fatherfor me friend and mentor; Moscownow port of five seas; My brothertoo engineer; This stream only beginning of the river.
Dash in an incomplete sentence
§16
In incomplete sentences in place of the missing members of the sentence or their parts put a dash.
1. In parts of a complex sentence with a parallel structure, as well as in a simple sentence with homogeneous repeating members of the sentence, where the missing member is restored from the first part of the sentence: It was getting dark, and the clouds either dispersed, or now came in from three sides: on the left - almost black, with blue gaps, on the right - gray-haired, rumbling with a continuous roar, and from the west, because of the Khvoshchinsky estate, because of the slopes above the river valley , - cloudy blue, in dusty stripes of rain(Boon.); For him, one story inevitably evokes another, and that one - a third, a third - a fourth, and therefore there is no end to his stories.(Paust.); Some consider the portrait to be the work of Van Dyck, others - Rembrandt(Paust.); This is how she lives alone. During the day he walks in the garden, at night he walks around the house(Shcherb.).
2. In a simple sentence with a missing predicate indicating the direction of movement: Tatyana - into the forest, the bear - after her(P.).
3. If the missing sentence member is restored from previous sentences:- Do you like green onion pies? I am passion!(M. G.); In another room, the workshop of an artisan jeweler is recreated. In the third - the shepherd's hut, with all the shepherd's utensils. In the fourth - an ordinary water mill. In the fifth - the setting of the hut where the shepherds make cheese(Sol.).
§17
A dash is put in sentences consisting of two components with the meaning of the subject, object, circumstance (in various combinations) and built according to the schemes: "who - to whom", "who - where", "what - to whom", "what - where", "what - how", "what - where", "what - for what" and etc.: Teachers - to schoolchildren; Journalists - in hot spots; Literary awards - to veterans; Textbooks - for children; All wells are in operation; Grades - for knowledge. The dash is preserved when the parts are rearranged: You - the key to the university.
Such sentences are common in newspaper headlines.
§eighteen
In self-used sentences with a missing predicate that cannot be restored from the context, dash. Such sentences are divided by a pause into two components - adverbial and subject: Behind bars - a fabulous bird(Ill.); In the lanes in the village - knee-deep mud(Shuksh.); Above the yellow straw fields, above the stubble - blue sky and white clouds(Sol.); Behind the highway - a birch forest(Boon.); All over the sky are clouds(Pan.); Over the area - low hanging dust(Shol.); Behind the screen is a door leading to a staircase.(Nab.).
However, in the absence of a pause and a logical stress on the adverbial member of the sentence, the dash not put: There are traces of unknown animals on unknown paths(P.). The same when expressing the subjective circumstantial meaning: There is excitement in the public; Sadness in my heart.
Dash in join function
§19
A dash is put between two (or more) words that, combined with each other, mean limits (meaning "from to") - spatial, temporal, quantitative: Trains with signs "Moscow - Kara-Bugaz , throughTashkent - Krasnovodsk » (Paust.); Mistakenly believing that the culture of horse chestnut in the northwestern parks is not a phenomenonXVIII-XIX centuries, and later, they removed all chestnuts from the Trigorsky and from the grave hill of the Svyatogorsky monastery(Geych.); Oil reserves at Cheleken are very small and should be exhausted in the firstten fifteen years of production(Paust.). The same with the designation of the number of numbers: Manuscript of 10-15 author's sheets(See also spellings of combinations indicating an approximate amount: Spelling, § 118, paragraph 5 and § 154, paragraph 4.)
§twenty
A dash is put between two (or more) proper names, the totality of which is called any doctrine, phenomenon, etc.: lawBoyle - Mariotte ; matchKasparov - Karpov .
A dash is also placed between common nouns, the combination of which performs a defining function with a noun: Systemman - machine ; Relationsteacher - student ; Problemmarket relations - social justice . The number of combined names can be more than two: Problemproduction - man - nature ; Article by V. A. Sukhomlinsky"Teacher - team - personality" .
Dash in selection function
§21
A dash is put before the members of the sentence to emphasize them, emphasize them (for stylistic purposes). Such members of the sentence are called connecting.
1. A dash is put to underline, emphasize the explanatory members of the sentence located at the end of the sentence. Most often this is: This is very bad, as I should have written -for a piece of bread (Boon.); ... And again the rickshaw wandered along the street -this time to the hotel (Boon.); The next day, the seminarians again clashed with the Cadets -open, by the Summer Garden (Kav.); Throughout the spring, Nikolai met with Ovrazhny only once -by chance on the street (Shol.). Such a dash may be replaced by a dot (see § 9).
2. A dash can be placed for stylistic purposes after coordinating conjunctions or their combinations with particles: Death razul worn down bast shoes, lay down on a stone and - fell asleep(M. G.); And here is the river(Cool.); I have papers ... but - they are no good(G.).
§22
A dash is put to emphasize the opposing members of the sentence: Terrible, sweet, inevitable, I must / I - throw myself into a foamy shaft, / You - a green-eyed naiad / Sing, splash around the Irish rocks(Bl.).
Have you often had to think while writing when a colon is put, and when a dash? Probably often, because these punctuation marks, like any others, require certain rules to be observed, although in some cases they are very similar. But which ones - we will talk later in the article.
Relationship between generalizing words and colon or dash
When discussing when a colon is put, and when a dash is put, first of all it is necessary to mention those sentences in which homogeneous members are used, and with them there is a generalizing word. It is after it, before the enumeration, that a colon is needed.
So, for example, in the sentence: You could always find interesting things in his backpack: pebbles, bolts, metal balls and even a fly in a matchbox.”, before the enumeration there is a generalizing word “ things”, followed by a colon in this situation.
If the generalizing word is after the enumeration, then it is required to put a dash before it. For example: " Pebbles, bolts, metal balls and even a fly in a matchbox - these are the things that can always be found in Petka's backpack».
By the way, after a generalizing word, you can often find a dash, which is also the right option. For example: " Everything is different there - language, way of life and even values».
Colon and dash in non-union complex sentences
There are several cases when a colon is placed in complex non-union sentences:
- If the second part of a complex sentence explains the content of the first. Then between them you can put unions "namely" or "like that." For example: “Everything in nature spoke of joy: the sun shone brightly from a clear sky, and birds sang in different voices.”
- If the second part of the sentence indicates the reason for what is mentioned in the first part. Then, by the way, it is easy to put the unions “because” and “because” between the parts. For example: "Ivan was a very distrustful person: his close people let him down too often."
- Another case where a colon is placed between parts of a sentence is one where one part warns that the statement will continue further. In such sentences, in the first part, as a rule, one of the verbs is used: see, know, hear, feel, etc. For example: “Peter and Anna knew: they would definitely have a big and noisy family.” As you can see, between the parts of this sentence and those similar to it, you can put the union “what”, thus turning it into a complex sentence.
It is also acceptable to use a dash instead of a colon in these sentences. Compare:
- He knew something bad had happened..
- It’s better not to say such things in front of him - he may be offended.
- It seemed to them - a little more, and everything will come true.
By the way, sentences with a warning about the continuation of the story should be distinguished from complex sentences that do not contain one. In this case, a comma is placed between the parts. For example: " I know they will live with us».
When a colon is put in a sentence with direct speech
In those sentences where direct speech is used, a colon is placed after the words of the author, for example:
- On the way home, Nina plaintively asked Sonya: “Will you ever be able to forgive me?”
- She said through her teeth: "If you knew how I hate this life."
Sentences that include direct speech must be distinguished from complex structures. In the latter, a comma is placed before the subordinate clause, for example:
- On the way home, Nina plaintively asked Sonya if she could count on forgiveness.
- She said through clenched teeth that she absolutely hated this life.
When is a colon used in a title?
The rules for writing headings require a separate explanation. If the heading of some text is divided into two parts, and the first of them (nominative) names the person, problem, place of action, etc., and the second specifies the meaning of the first, then a colon is placed between them.
Let's look at examples of such headers:
- Angina: signs and methods of treatment of the disease.
- Mikhail Bulgakov: unknown facts from the biography of the writer.
- Ten days in India: a land of wonders and contrasts.
So what to put - a dash or a colon?
In conclusion, it can be said that in modern language it is becoming easier to decide when to put a colon and when it is better to use a dash, since the dash in this " duel” often comes out victorious.
According to the famous D. E. Rosenthal, the dash is a freer sign, often “ entering” and into the domain of the colon. What explains this? The linguist believes that the dash in a sentence performs not only purely syntactic functions, but also gives it an emotionally expressive coloring. Obviously, that is why authors in fiction and in periodicals love to use it so much. As an example, we can cite a few phrases from newspapers: Elections behind - you can sum up" or " Experts call this process quite natural - the demand for land has increased».
So, it is possible to decide when a colon is put in a sentence, and when - a dash, and based on the author's preferences.
Not all Internet users understand exactly what a dash and a hyphen are. What is the difference between them? It is wrong to use them interchangeably from the point of view of the rules of the Russian language. Each character has its own meaning and input method. Moreover, in fact, more than two characters have been developed to indicate dashes in the text.
What is a hyphen
A hyphen is a spelling mark that separates parts of a word. It looks like a short horizontal dash.
Since it is part of the word, it does not beat off with spaces. The only case where a space is placed to the right of this sign is in enumerations in which only the first part of the word changes, while the second part remains the same. For example: television and radio broadcasting.
Sometimes a non-breaking hyphen is used instead of a regular hyphen. It is needed so that the constituent parts of words are not broken into different lines. In this case, the word will either remain on the previous line, or will be completely transferred to a new one.
When is a hyphen used?
To understand when a hyphen is put, and when a dash, you need to remember the rules of the Russian language. A hyphen is placed inside words.
General rules for writing words with a hyphen:
- repetition of one word: quietly, barely;
- repetition of words with the same stem: long ago, alone;
- a combination of synonyms: quietly and quietly, clever - wise;
- compound words, the first part of which is a numeral written in numbers: 100 percent, 25 years;
- increments after ordinal numbers: 7th, 12th;
- special terms and names, which include a single letter of the alphabet: α‑rays, β‑rays;
- abbreviations of complex adjectives that are written together: w.‑d. (railroad) - but railway. (Railway).
In addition, nouns are written with a hyphen in such cases:
- compound words without connecting vowels -o-, -e-: cafe-restaurant, diesel engine;
- names of political parties and their members/supporters: social-democracy, social-democrat;
- complex units of measurement: man-day, kilowatt-hour, but workday;
- intermediate cardinal directions, including foreign ones: northwest, northwest;
- compound surnames: Mamin-Sibiryak, Rimsky-Korsakov;
- some geographical names: Kamenetz‑Podolsk, Orekhovo‑Zuyevo;
- words with the first part ober-, non-commissioned officer, lifeguard, ex-, vice-: vice president, non-commissioned officer;
- application for the word being defined: an old mother, a beautiful girl.
Now consider when to write adjectives with a hyphen (with examples):
- formed from nouns that are written with a hyphen: social democratic, diesel engine;
- consist of equivalent components: meat and milk, English and German;
- indicate shades of colors: white-blue, yellow-green.
These are the main cases when you need to write words with a hyphen. The use of dashes in complex words is considered a blunder.
What is a dash
The dash is a punctuation mark. It is placed between individual words. On both sides it must be beaten off with spaces, and on the left - inseparable. This is necessary so that the sign "sticks" to the previous word and does not wrap to the next line (or wrap immediately with this word). A newline can only start with a dash if a dialog is passed.
The dash is usually divided into long and short dashes. Each of them has its own use cases. Let us consider in more detail the features of the use of dashes and hyphens. What is the difference between these characters?
When to put an em dash
Let's analyze the basic rules for a dash. In the case of a long sign, there are more of them, since this is the classic dash that we met at school. In other words, we have to remember the rules for punctuation in sentences.
The dash is used in the following cases:
- Between the subject and the predicate, if they are expressed by nouns in the nominative case or indefinite forms of the verb: to love is to live. The teacher is my friend.
- After listing before the generalizing word: russula, mushrooms, ceps, he collected a lot of mushrooms.
- Before the appendix at the end of the sentence: Petya came to visit me - my best friend.
- In place of the missing members of the sentence: I left the room, and my friend followed me.
In some cases, you need to put a dash between sentences (see examples below):
- With a sharp opposition or an unexpected turn of events: he turned around - but she was not there.
- Between parts of a complex non-union sentence, if the second part indicates the result of what the first says: I told the truth, it became easier.
Of course, there are many more rules for dashes, these are just the main points that occur most often. The use of a hyphen in such cases is unacceptable.
What is an en dash
Let's try to understand even more deeply the difference between a dash and a hyphen. What is the difference? We need to get acquainted with one more sign - an en dash (it is also called an average). Today, it is extremely rare on the Internet. The problem is that in most cases this symbol is simply not familiar to specialists developing websites. And there are reasons for this: the symbol came to us from the English-language printing house.
In width, it is equal to the letter N, which is why it was called en dash. By the way, a long character is equal to M in width, which is why it is called em dash.
Ranges
For a long time, an em dash without spaces was used to indicate a range. But today it is increasingly being replaced by a short one, and many resources are accepting it as a standard. That is, the spelling should be like this: 2000-2010, 10-12, 63-70.
The character is not preceded by a space, because the range is semantically one whole. But if we are talking about an indefinite interval with a difference of one step, then you need to put a hyphen: 2-3, 4-5.
Many are wondering what sign to put between the years - a dash or a hyphen? The answer is obvious: an en dash, because we are talking about a specific period of time: 1900-1902.
For temperatures, this method is unacceptable, since these units can have negative values. Here the range must be set through ellipsis.
Phone numbers
To date, there is no consensus on the writing of telephone numbers. In particular, Gramota.ru orders to use a hyphen, and this option is considered generally accepted. En dash spelling is gaining popularity. However, from a logical point of view, both theories are incorrect. The hyphen is still a spelling mark, and it is put in words. Also the phone number is not a range.
A special symbol has been developed for numbers - the so-called figure dash (digital dash).
What is the minus sign
As a minus, a regular hyphen is often used. Sometimes there is a variant with an en dash. In fact, a separate sign has also been developed in this case. The bottom line is that the minus in width should be equal to the plus. The minus character is longer than a hyphen, but slightly shorter than a dash.
The minus, like other mathematical symbols, must be beaten off with non-breaking spaces: 25 - 5 = 20.
How to put a transfer
A hyphen is often indicated with a hyphen. This is almost the right choice. The "ideal" hyphen is a soft hyphen, or soft hyphen. Sometimes it is called shy hyphen. Although outwardly it does not differ from a hyphen, it is he who has the meaning of separating words at the end of a line. If you put hyphen, for example, in the word “book” (“book-ga”), then it turns out that we are talking about a compound word that consists of two parts: “book-” and “-ga”. But soft hyphen will show that this is one word, only separated by a hyphen.
How to insert symbols
We now know that in Russian, dashes and hyphens should not be confused, and in some cases special characters should be used, despite common practice. But the question arises: how to insert these characters into the text?
To do this, turn on Num Lock and enter certain combinations on the numeric keypad.
Please note that outwardly the signs may look almost the same. For this reason, users may mistakenly confuse them. However, they have very different meanings, and each of them is designed for specific cases. You can not put a spelling mark instead of punctuation. It's also illogical to use a minus in phone numbers since we're not subtracting anything.
Use the non-breaking hyphen with care. On the one hand, a double surname broken into different lines looks ugly. Moreover, it is contrary to the rules of the Russian language. However, this character may not always be read correctly by mobile applications. In this case, the user will see an empty square in its place.
Symbol on the keyboard
But in practice, users most often use a symbol on the keyboard, rather than inserting the characters listed above. No wonder: it is much faster and easier than entering combinations, especially since they still need to be remembered. Usually such a character is called a hyphen.
But in fact, its name sounds like a "hyposominus". Outwardly, it does not differ from the usual hyphen, but in meaning it is not. The term itself suggests that this is an indefinite sign. It is used instead of all other dashes if it is impossible to put the correct character for technical reasons. But if you have the opportunity to insert the desired character, then it is better to do so. With the help of the hypsominus, we only show the reader that a certain dash should stand in this place. By itself, it means nothing.
Conclusion
We learned when dashes and hyphens are used and what is the difference between them. The rules require not to confuse characters and use them for their intended purpose. Even if the signs look similar on the outside, they still have different meanings. The hypsominus familiar to everyone should be used in extreme cases, because today most users have the opportunity to enter the desired combination.
