In a world increasingly overrun with AI-generated content, a recent rumor is making the rounds: If it contains em dashes, it wasn’t written by a human. This notion is mostly unfounded — em dashes (the long dash in this sentence) and other types of punctuation marks aren’t clear AI hallmarks. However, it’s likely the AI tool was trained on writing that used em dashes a bit too liberally, creating writing output scattered with the punctuation mark. Perhaps some writers could stand to exercise more restraint when it comes to wielding the mighty em dash.
“Em” stands for the letter “M,” as the “—” is about the same width as the letter, and the en dash (–) is the width of an “N.” The em dash is the longest, most dramatic punctuation mark in the dash family. It can function as a comma, semicolon, or parentheses, creating a pause or offsetting information with flair. Meanwhile, the more modest en dash and simple hyphen have quieter roles, connecting number ranges and forming compound words, respectively. They’re typically marked safe from overuse. But the em dash? It has become a teacher’s pet among punctuation marks, volunteering at every opportunity.
Reserve em dashes for moments of abrupt thought or emphasis, as in, “She couldn’t believe it — a surprise party!” or “The new TV series — starring Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and George Clooney — is getting rave reviews.” In these instances, no other type of punctuation would garner the same pause or excitement. But remember, the more often you deploy the em dash, the less impact it will have.
While it’s undeniably popular in modern communication, the em dash has been around since 1836, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. The mark first made headway in poetry, and by the 20th century, it was nearly impossible to find a poet who didn’t use it. Consider Robert Frost’s memorable lines from The Road Not Taken (1916): “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I — I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.” The use of a different punctuation mark is unthinkable.
Even Shakespeare adopted an early form of a long dash to indicate pauses in his playwriting, revealing a long-standing desire to build suspense or amplify drama by using this clever piece of punctuation. Just remember to take a page from Shakespeare’s playbook and use it only when necessary to make a lasting impression.
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