MOS:DASH

MOS:DASH is a guideline in the Wikipedia:Manual of Style that provides instructions on how to use dashes in Wikipedia articles. It covers the use of different types of dashes, including the en dash, em dash, hyphen, and minus sign, and provides guidance on when to use each type.

Types of Dashes[edit | edit source]

Hyphen[edit | edit source]

The hyphen ( - ) is the shortest dash and is used in compound words and phrases, such as "mother-in-law" and "long-term". It is also used to separate numbers in a range, such as "1980-1985".

En Dash[edit | edit source]

The en dash ( – ) is slightly longer than the hyphen and is used to indicate a range or a connection between two things of almost any kind. Examples include "January–December", "New York–London flight", and "pp. 38–55".

Em Dash[edit | edit source]

The em dash ( — ) is the longest dash and is used to set off a parenthetical thought or an abrupt change in sentence structure. It can also be used in place of a colon or semicolon in certain situations.

Minus Sign[edit | edit source]

The minus sign ( − ) is used in mathematical expressions to indicate subtraction or a negative value.

Usage Guidelines[edit | edit source]

The MOS:DASH guideline provides specific instructions on when to use each type of dash. For example, it recommends using the en dash in ranges of numbers, dates, or times, and the em dash for parenthetical thoughts or abrupt changes in sentence structure. The guideline also provides instructions on how to create each type of dash on a keyboard.

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