How do I type an em dash in Word?

In Microsoft Word, there are several ways to type an em dash (—):

While typing a sentence, you can type two hyphens (-) where you want the em dash to be. As you continue typing, Word will automatically convert this to an em dash.
On a Mac computer, you can hold down option + shift and press the hyphen key (to the right of the 0).
On a Windows computer, you can hold down Alt and type 0151 on the numeric keypad.
- If you don’t have a numeric keypad, you can press the Windows button + period (.) to bring up the symbols menu.
You can navigate to “Symbols” under the “Insert” menu to manually add an em dash.

If you want to type other special characters, like blank text, try QuillBot’s free invisible character generator.

Punctuation: Other interesting questions

Does the comma go inside the quotation marks?: Yes, commas typically go inside quotation marks in a sentence in American English.

Commas with quotation marks in American English examples
Critics said the book was “gripping,” “powerfully written,” and “emotional.”

“Don’t go without me,” Brett said.

Note, though, that when there’s an introductory phrase before a quotation, the comma goes before the opening quotation marks.

Brett said, “Don’t go without me.”

In British English, commas typically go outside of quotation marks (and single quotation marks are often used in place of double).

Commas with quotation marks in British English example
Critics said the book was ‘gripping’, ‘powerfully written’, and ‘emotional’.

‘Don’t go without me’, Brett said.

Use QuillBot’s Grammar Checker to make sure you’re using punctuation with quotation marks correctly.
Is pope capitalized?: Pope is sometimes capitalized but not always. Capitalize “pope” when it’s part of the pope’s name and therefore a proper noun (e.g., “Pope Francis passed away on April 21, 2025”). Don’t capitalize “the pope,” which is a common noun (e.g., “The College of Cardinals will elect the new pope”).

Did you know that you can run any piece of writing through the QuillBot Grammar Checker to find capitalization errors? Give it a try for a quick and easy way to proofread.
Are seasons capitalized?: No, the names of seasons (e.g., spring, fall) are not capitalized because they are common nouns.

The names of days and months (e.g., “Tuesday,” “April”) are proper nouns, though, so they are capitalized.

QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you fix any problems with capitalization.
Is dad capitalized?: Words, like dad, that refer to family relationships are not capitalized unless they are used in place of a name.

My dad is very funny.

My Dad is very funny.

I love you, Dad.

I love you, dad.

QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker will help you use capitalization correctly.
Is spring break capitalized?: In general, spring break is not capitalized (e.g., “We’re going to Mexico for spring break”). Seasons are common nouns and are not capitalized.

However, when referring to a specific holiday period (e.g., “Spring Break 2025 will be March 10–15”), the phrase can be capitalized.

A QuillBot grammar check can help you use capitalization correctly.
What’s an example of a semicolon in a sentence?: Here are a couple examples of a semicolon in a sentence:

The president has expressed her support for the bill; Congress will vote on it on Tuesday.

We will present on the first day of the conference; our competitors will present that day as well.

Semicolons join two closely related independent clauses.

Use QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker to make sure you’re using semicolons correctly.
Should you capitalize after a semicolon?: No, the word that follows a semicolon should not be capitalized unless it is a proper noun. For example:

The client will not be available for a meeting this week; next week, however, should work.

The client will not be available for a meeting on Monday; Tuesday, however, should work.

QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you make sure you’re using semicolons correctly.
What are periods, commas, and question marks called?: Periods, commas, and question marks are all types of punctuation.

This category also includes exclamation marks and less common punctuation like em dashes, en dashes, and hyphens. Sometimes, people refer to all of these as punctuation marks.
How do you say question mark in Spanish?: The word for question mark in Spanish is “signo de interrogación.” To refer to the upside-down (inverted) question mark (¿) that comes at the beginning of Spanish questions, you would say “signo de interrogación invertido.”

QuillBot’s free multilingual Grammar Checker can make sure you’re spelling all Spanish words correctly.
How do I make a question mark in Spanish?: Spanish uses question marks in pairs: an upside-down (or inverted) question mark (¿) at the beginning of the sentence and a regular question mark at the end. For example: “¿De dónde eres?” [Where are you from?]

To type an inverted question mark, you can use the following keyboard shortcuts:

How to type an upside-down question mark

Microsoft Word Mac

ctrl + alt + shift + ? shift + option + ?

When using a program other than Word on a PC, there is no one shortcut that works consistently. It may be best to pull up the special character menu by pressing the Windows key + the period key.

QuillBot’s multilingual Grammar Checker can help you use punctuation correctly in any language.
Does a question mark go inside quotes?: A question mark goes inside quotation marks if the quoted material itself is a question. Otherwise, the question mark goes outside of the quotation marks.

Question marks with quotation marks examples
The prosecutor asked, “When did you first notice a problem with the account?”

Who said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself”?

QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can help ensure your writing is free of punctuation mistakes.
How do I make quotation marks in Spanish?: When writing in Spanish, you can use either regular quotation marks (“ ”), known as comillas inglesas, or angular quotation marks (« »), known as comillas angulares or comillas latinas.

You should consult your style guide for which format is preferred and be consistent throughout your document.

To type angular quotation marks, use the following keyboard shortcuts:

Windows Mac

Opening angular quotation mark («) Ctrl + Alt + [ Option + \

Closing angular quotation mark (») Ctrl + Alt + ] Option + Shift + \

QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker works in multiple languages to help you write well in any language.
When should I use single quotation marks?: In American English, single quotation marks (‘ ’) are used to indicate quotes within quotes.

Single quotation marks example (American English)
Martinez argues that “the president’s use of the phrase ‘mission accomplished’ undermined his credibility.”

In British English, single quotation marks are typically used in the ways double quotation marks are in American English. So, quotes within quotes are indicated with double quotation marks.

Single quotation marks examples (British English)
Martinez argues that ‘the president’s use of the phrase “mission accomplished” undermined his credibility’.

Try not to use the word ‘really’ in academic writing.

QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you ensure you’re using quotation marks correctly.
Should I put a period before or after quotation marks?: Typically, a period goes before the ending quotation marks in American English.

Periods with quotation marks examples (American English)
The principal said the teacher was “an exemplar of the profession.”

She told me, “If I leave, I’m never coming back.”

However, in British English, the period only goes inside the quotation marks if the quotation itself is a full sentence. Otherwise, it goes outside. Additionally, British English typically uses single quotation marks instead of double.

Periods with quotation marks examples (British English)
The principal said the teacher was ‘an exemplar of the profession’.

She told me, ‘If I leave, I’m never coming back.’

Try QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker to make sure you’re using punctuation correctly.
How do I make quotation marks in French?: French uses guillemets (« ») instead of quotation marks (e.g., The sign said: « Allumez vos feux »). Note that there is always a space after the opening guillemet and before the closing guillemet.

To type guillemets, use the following keyboard shortcuts:

Windows Mac

Opening guillemet («) Ctrl + Alt + [ Option + \

Closing guillemet (») Ctrl + Alt + ] Option + Shift + \

QuillBot’s Grammar Checker works in multiple languages, so you can make sure all of your writing is free of errors!
What words do not get capitalized?: There are no words that are never capitalized in English because any word that begins a sentence should be capitalized. Additionally, words that are part of titles (except for articles, coordinating conjunctions, and short prepositions) are generally capitalized.

When not used in titles or as the first word of a sentence, words other than proper nouns and the first-person pronoun “I” are generally lowercased in English.

A free QuillBot Grammar Check can help you make sure you’re capitalizing words correctly.
Is mom capitalized?: Words that refer to family relationships (e.g., “mom,” “dad,” “grandma,” “uncle”) are not capitalized unless they are used in place of a name.

Capitalization of family relationship words examples

My mom is the best.

My Mom is the best.

I love you, Mom.

I love you, mom.

Is Uncle Jay coming to the wedding?

Is uncle Jay coming to the wedding?

Is your uncle coming to the wedding?

Is your Uncle coming to the wedding?

QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker will help you use capitalization correctly.
What’s the difference between an en dash and a hyphen?: A hyphen (-) is shorter than an en dash and is used to connect words in compound adjectives (e.g., “fast-paced,” “old-fashioned”) or compound nouns (e.g., “seven-year-olds,” “jack-of-all-trades”).

An en dash (–) is slightly longer and can be used for several purposes:

To indicate number ranges (e.g., “2020–2024”)

To indicate a relationship or connection (e.g., “the London–Dublin train,” “the employer–employee relationship”)

To connect complex compound adjectives (e.g., “the Booker Prize–winning novelist”)

In many everyday writing situations, the hyphen is used in place of the en dash because it is easier to type. However, it is important to know the difference for academic and professional writing contexts.

QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can help you ensure you’re using different types of punctuation correctly.
What is an n dash?: The term “n dash” is a misspelling of en dash, which is the dash that is used in number ranges (e.g., “pp. 207–221”), among other uses.

The en dash is longer than a hyphen (-) but shorter than an em dash (—).

QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can help you use punctuation correctly.
How do I type an en dash in Word?: There are several ways to type an en dash (–) in Microsoft Word:

On a Mac computer, you can hold down option and press the hyphen key (to the right of the 0).

On a Windows computer, you can hold down Alt and type 0150 on the numeric keypad.

If you don’t have a numeric keypad, you can press the Windows button + period (.) to bring up the symbols menu.

You can navigate to “Symbols” under the “Insert” menu to manually add an en dash.

If you’re looking for additional special characters, like invisible text, try QuillBot’s invisible character generator.
How do I type an en dash on a Mac?: To type an en dash (–) on a Mac computer, hold down option and press the hyphen (-) key (to the right of the 0).

If you’re looking to insert additional special characters, like blank text, try QuillBot’s invisible character generator.
What does a hyphen look like?: A hyphen (-) looks like a very short line. It is shorter than an en dash (–) and an em dash (—). It is also different from an underscore ( _ ).

On a computer keyboard, it is to the right of the zero (0) key. On a phone keypad, it is in the number menu, just underneath the “1” key.

Hyphens are used to connect words or parts of words (e.g., “self-reliant,” “semi-independent”).
When do you use a hyphen in a sentence?: Hyphens are used in sentences to connect words (or parts of words) that act together as a unit. For example:

Compound adjectives (“He is a well-known actor”)

Compound nouns (“My sister-in-law is an engineer”)

Numbers (“There are twenty-five students in my class”)

There are many rules about when hyphens should and should not be used. QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can help you use hyphens correctly in your writing.
What is an m dash?: The term “m dash” is a misspelling of em dash, which is the long dash used to indicate a break or to set off additional information in a sentence (e.g., “The rain—which has not let up for days—is predicted to end on Sunday”).
Should there be spaces around an em dash?: Typically, there is no space around an em dash (e.g., “The flight—which had already been delayed three times—was canceled”).

One notable exception is that Associated Press (AP) style requires spaces around an em dash, so you may see this in news articles (e.g., “The flight — which had already been delayed three times — was canceled”).

Consult your style guide to see what is preferred. All of the major academic style guides (APA, MLA, and Chicago) recommend not putting spaces around em dashes.

QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can help you make sure you are using em dashes correctly.
What’s the difference between an em dash and an en dash?: An en dash (–) is shorter and is used to indicate number ranges (e.g., “1958–1985”) or as a substitute for the word “to” in phrases like “the Albuquerque–Los Angeles flight.”

An em dash (—) is longer and is used like parentheses or commas to set off extra information or like a colon or semicolon to indicate a break in a sentence. For example: “My brother—well, technically my half-brother—is coming to visit this weekend.”

In British English, en dashes are used like em dashes. In this case, they have a space on either side. For example: “My brother – well, technically my half-brother – is coming to visit this weekend.”

A QuillBot Grammar Check can help you ensure you use dashes correctly.
How do I type an em dash on a Mac?: To type an em dash (—) on a Mac computer, hold down option + shift and press the hyphen key (to the right of the 0).

Alternatively, for many programs and applications, you can type an em dash by typing two or three hyphens (-) in a row. The program will automatically convert this to an em dash.

If you want to insert additional characters, like an empty character, in your text, try QuillBot’s free invisible character generator.
What word is always capitalized?: The first-person pronoun “I” is always capitalized in English. This includes its use in contractions (e.g., “I’m,” “I’ve,” “I’ll,” and “I’d”).

This rule is sometimes broken in poetry or in very casual text messages. But, in all other types of writing, “I” should always be capitalized.

Use QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker to catch any mistakes with capitalization.

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How do I type an em dash in Word?

Punctuation: Other interesting questions

	Windows	Mac
Opening angular quotation mark («)	Ctrl + Alt + [	Option + \
Closing angular quotation mark (»)	Ctrl + Alt + ]	Option + Shift + \

	Windows	Mac
Opening guillemet («)	Ctrl + Alt + [	Option + \
Closing guillemet (»)	Ctrl + Alt + ]	Option + Shift + \

How do I type an em dash in Word?

Punctuation: Other interesting questions

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