The em sprint is a flexible punctuation mark that may upload aptitude and readability on your writing. However, discovering one of the best ways to insert it into Microsoft Word will also be tough.

Fortunately, Word gives a handy guide a rough automated solution to insert an em sprint easily. If that means doesn’t suit your wishes, don’t fear — there are 3 different easy guide ways you’ll use to make sure your paperwork glance polished {and professional}.

Understanding the variation between an en sprint and em sprint

The em sprint and en sprint are two other punctuation marks used for quite a lot of functions.

Em Dash (—)

The em sprint (—) operates like a comma, a colon, or a parenthesis. According to Merriam-Webster, it may well set aside additional data, comparable to examples, explanations, or descriptive words. The em sprint too can introduce a clause that explains or expands upon one thing that precedes it.

When utilized in ingenious writing, an em sprint can carry out many purposes, comparable to indicating a smash in idea, framing a parenthetical word, and even including drama to a sentence.

An em sprint is longer than an en sprint or a hyphen.

En Dash (–)

The en sprint, against this, is used to suggest a spread (pages 25–40) or to turn a connection or distinction between phrases (Sydney–Tokyo flight). It is longer than a hyphen however shorter than an em sprint.

4 tactics to insert an em sprint in Microsoft Word

There are 4 major tactics of placing an em sprint in Word.

1. Use Word’s Autoformat

To insert an em sprint, sort two hyphens (the usage of the minus key) instantly after the phrase the place you wish to have the em sprint to seem. Then, sort the following phrase after the hyphens and press the distance bar.

Word must robotically flip the hyphens into an em sprint between the 2 textual content phrases.

SEE: How to check out your Word paperwork for clarity and compatibility

You should no longer insert areas between the phrases or the hyphens, as this will likely suggested Word to transform your hyphens to the shorter en sprint moderately than an em sprint.

If this system does no longer paintings, chances are you’ll want to take a look at and allow Word’s Autoformat serve as.

2. Use keyboard shortcuts

To insert an em sprint the usage of your keyboard in Windows, use the next keyboard shortcut:

Press Ctrl + Alt + – (at the numeric keypad)

If you’re on a Mac, the keyboard shortcut is rather other. In this situation, you can use:

Press Shift + Option + –

3. Use the emblem menu

Em dashes will also be inserted the usage of the Symbol menu in Word as a result of this can be a particular personality.

First, be certain that the cursor is flashing within the place the place you wish to have your em sprint within the file.

SEE: Word choices which might be exponentially higher and extra dependable

Go to the Insert tab within the Word menu bar ribbon and make a choice the Symbol menu. From the dropdown menu, to find “More symbols” and “Special characters,” after which make a choice the em sprint to insert it.

4. Use Unicode

An em sprint may also be inserted the usage of the Unicode price 2014.

First, click on the place you wish to have to insert the em sprint to your file. Type the Unicode price “2014” and press Alt and X concurrently Word must convert the 2014 into an em sprint.

Em dashes can fortify your writing

Em dashes will also be tough to grasp in writing, however placing them in a Word file doesn’t need to be. Following this kind of 4 easy strategies will be certain that you’ll get started including em dashes to textual content in Word lately. Mastering this flexible punctuation mark can carry your writing, including readability, taste, and emphasis the place it issues maximum.