密歇根新闻广播 英语中破折号的用法

How many dashes is too many? For some of you — especially those who are writers — that may be a rhetorical question.

For others, the dash is something of a mystery. You've seen it around, you know what it looks like, but you've never learned how to use it.

That may be because the dash — and keep in mind, we're talking about the em-dash — is kind of like the Wild West of punctuation¹ marks.

It's extremely flexible and works in a lot of different situations.

In fact, it's almost easier to explain where you can't use a dash, but let's take a look at a few places where you can. 

For starters, if you're making a list or providing an explanation, you can use a dash in place of a colon²:

"There are a variety of factors to consider when choosing a pet — size, cost, energy level and maintenance, to name a few." 

The dash can also be used to set off a parenthetical element. Of course, you could just use parentheses³, but the dash can add emphasis. Check out this example from an article by our own Anne Curzan:

"How is ‘aren't I' more grammatical — or more logical for that matter — then ‘ain't I'?"

Dashes are also handy when you want to start a sentence with a list:

"The dirty dishes, the grungy carpet, the filthy⁴ bathroom — it was clear that housework wasn't his top priority."

Sometimes, other punctuation marks are technically⁵ correct, but just don't work as well as the dash. Here's a great example from George Eliot's "Middlemarch":

"He had done nothing exceptional in marrying — nothing but what society sanctions and considers an occasion for wreaths and bouquets⁶."

Unfortunately, the versatility⁷ of the dash also makes it prone⁸ to overuse. One or two can add emphasis or clarity, but too many can disrupt the flow of your writing and make it confusing.

1 punctuation   

n.标点符号，标点法

参考例句：

• My son's punctuation is terrible.我儿子的标点符号很糟糕。
• A piece of writing without any punctuation is difficult to understand.一篇没有任何标点符号的文章是很难懂的。

2 colon   

n.冒号，结肠，直肠

参考例句：

• Here,too,the colon must be followed by a dash.这里也是一样，应当在冒号后加破折号。
• The colon is the locus of a large concentration of bacteria.结肠是大浓度的细菌所在地。

3 parentheses   

n.圆括号，插入语，插曲（ parenthesis的名词复数 ）

参考例句：

• Irregular forms are given in parentheses . 不规则形式标注在括号内。
• Answer these questions, using the words in parentheses. Put the apostrophe in the right place. 用句后括号中的词或词组来回答问题，注意撇号的位置。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 filthy   

adj.卑劣的；恶劣的，肮脏的

参考例句：

• The whole river has been fouled up with filthy waste from factories.整条河都被工厂的污秽废物污染了。
• You really should throw out that filthy old sofa and get a new one.你真的应该扔掉那张肮脏的旧沙发，然后再去买张新的。

5 technically   

adv.专门地，技术上地

参考例句：

• Technically it is the most advanced equipment ever.从技术上说，这是最先进的设备。
• The tomato is technically a fruit,although it is eaten as a vegetable.严格地说，西红柿是一种水果，尽管它是当作蔬菜吃的。

6 bouquets   

n.花束( bouquet的名词复数 )；（酒的）芳香

参考例句：

• The welcoming crowd waved their bouquets. 欢迎的群众摇动着花束。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• As the hero stepped off the platform, he was surrounded by several children with bouquets. 当英雄走下讲台时，已被几名手持花束的儿童围住了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 versatility   

n.多才多艺，多样性，多功能

参考例句：

• Versatility is another of your strong points,but don't overdo it by having too many irons in the fire.你还有一个长处是多才多艺，但不要揽事太多而太露锋芒。
• This versatility comes from a dual weather influence.这种多样性是由于双重的气候影响而形成的。

8 prone   

adj.(to)易于…的，很可能…的；俯卧的

参考例句：

• Some people are prone to jump to hasty conclusions.有些人往往作出轻率的结论。
• He is prone to lose his temper when people disagree with him.人家一不同意他的意见,他就发脾气。