The en dash (–) is a punctuation mark used mainly to show ranges, connections, and relationships. It is longer than a hyphen (-) but shorter than an em dash (—).
Its name comes from traditional printing, where the mark was approximately as wide as the letter n.
Compare the three marks:
- Hyphen: –
- En dash: –
- Em dash: —
Although these marks look similar, they perform different jobs in English writing.
Ranges of Numbers and Dates
Use an en dash between numbers, dates, times, or pages when the mark means to, through, or up to and including.
- pages 25–38
- chapters 4–7
- the years 2018–2024
- the 2025–2026 academic year
- Monday–Friday
- June–September
- 9:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m.
- children aged 8–12
The sentence below means that the office opens every day from Monday through Friday:
- The office is open Monday–Friday.
Do Not Mix an En Dash with “From” or “Between”
When a sentence already contains from, complete the construction with to.
- Incorrect: The course runs from March–June.
- Correct: The course runs from March to June.
- Correct: The course runs March–June.
When a sentence contains between, use and rather than an en dash.
- Incorrect: The interviews took place between 10:00–12:00.
- Correct: The interviews took place between 10:00 and 12:00.
- Correct: The interviews took place 10:00–12:00.
Construction | Correct form |
|---|---|
A simple range | 2019–2023 |
Range beginning with “from” | from 2019 to 2023 |
Range beginning with “between” | between 2019 and 2023 |
Page range | pages 45–62 |
Time range | 8:30–10:00 a.m. |
An en dash should represent a genuine range. It should not replace to when the numbers do not show continuous movement or coverage.
Connections between Places
An en dash can connect two places that are linked by travel, transport, communication, trade, or geography.
- the Karachi–Lahore flight
- the Islamabad–Peshawar route
- the London–Paris train
- a Europe–Asia trade corridor
- the Pakistan–Afghanistan border
The mark shows a connection between two separate places:
- The Karachi–Lahore service operates daily.
- They discussed improvements to the Islamabad–Peshawar route.
- The report examines trade along the Europe–Asia corridor.
Use the official spelling when a route, organisation, or geographical name has an established form. Do not replace an official hyphen with an en dash simply because two places are mentioned.
Relationships between Terms
An en dash may connect two people, groups, ideas, or organisations that have a balanced relationship.
- teacher–student communication
- doctor–patient confidentiality
- employer–employee relations
- Pakistan–China cooperation
- the parent–child relationship
- a government–industry partnership
These terms remain separate but are connected to each other.
- Trust supports a healthy doctor–patient relationship.
- The university encourages better teacher–student communication.
- The agreement may strengthen Pakistan–China cooperation.
The en dash can suggest:
- cooperation
- opposition
- comparison
- interaction
- negotiation
- connection
Some publications use hyphens in expressions such as teacher-student relationship. The choice may depend on the publication’s style guide. An en dash makes the equal relationship between the two terms more visible.
En Dashes with Open Compounds
An en dash may connect a word to an open compound—a term containing two or more separate words.
- a New York–based company
- the post–World War II period
- a United States–Canada agreement
A normal hyphen could make the structure less clear because New York, World War II, and United States already function as complete units.
This use is more common in formal publishing than in everyday writing. Rewording is also possible:
- a company based in New York
- the period after World War II
En Dash vs Hyphen
A hyphen joins elements closely. An en dash connects separate values, places, or balanced terms.
Feature | Hyphen (-) | En dash (–) |
|---|---|---|
Length | Shorter | Longer than a hyphen |
Main purpose | Joins words or word parts | Shows ranges and connections |
Number example | a twenty-five-page report | pages 20–25 |
Word example | a well-known writer | teacher–student communication |
Place example | Use only in an official hyphenated name | the Karachi–Lahore route |
Spacing | Usually no spaces | Usually no spaces |
Use a Hyphen
- a full-time employee
- a well-written report
- a ten-year-old building
- forty-two students
- a user-friendly website
Use an En Dash
- pages 10–18
- 2016–2022
- the Karachi–Quetta route
- doctor–patient communication
- a New York–based journalist
Compare:
- She accepted a two-year contract.
- She worked there during 2023–2025.
The hyphen creates the compound adjective two-year. The en dash shows a range covering two years.
En Dash vs Em Dash
The en dash connects information. The em dash creates a noticeable break in a sentence.
Feature | En dash (–) | Em dash (—) |
|---|---|---|
Main purpose | Range or connection | Break, interruption, or emphasis |
Length | Medium | Longest dash |
Example | Monday–Friday | The answer—surprisingly—was correct. |
Common replacement | “to” or “through” | Commas, brackets, or a colon |
Typical spacing | No spaces | Depends on the chosen style |
En Dash Examples
- Read pages 30–42.
- The Karachi–Lahore flight was delayed.
- The teacher–student meeting lasted an hour.
Em Dash Examples
- She opened the results—and immediately smiled.
- There was only one problem—the door was locked.
- His final answer—after several changes—was correct.
Do not use an em dash for an ordinary number range.
- Incorrect: pages 10—20
- Correct: pages 10–20
Spacing and Style
In most modern English styles, an en dash has no spaces on either side when showing a range or connection.
- Correct: 2015–2020
- Correct: Monday–Thursday
- Correct: the Karachi–Lahore route
- Incorrect: 2015 – 2020
- Incorrect: Monday –Thursday
Spacing should always be consistent.
Some British publishers use a spaced en dash instead of an em dash to mark a break:
- The decision – although unpopular – was final.
Other styles use an unspaced em dash:
- The decision—although unpopular—was final.
Both forms may be accepted when used consistently. For ranges and connections, the closed en dash remains the usual choice:
- pages 12–19
- the Pakistan–China partnership
Typing an En Dash
- Windows: Hold
Altand type0150on the numeric keypad. - Mac: Press
Optionand the hyphen key. - Microsoft Word: Use Insert → Symbol, or allow AutoCorrect to create it.
- HTML: Use
–. - Copy and paste: –
Do not use two hyphens as a permanent replacement when the proper en dash character is available.
Practice Exercise
Choose an en dash, hyphen, em dash, or words such as to and and.
- The library is open Monday___Saturday.
- She applied for a full___time position.
- The Karachi___Lahore train arrived late.
- He checked the door___then checked it again.
- The programme ran from 2022___2025.
- Read pages 36___49 before tomorrow.
- Good doctor___patient communication builds trust.
- The company has a New York___based design team.
- The results were between 70___85 percent.
- It was a simple decision___or so we thought.
Answers
- The library is open Monday–Saturday.
- She applied for a full-time position.
- The Karachi–Lahore train arrived late.
- He checked the door—then checked it again.
- The programme ran from 2022 to 2025.
- Read pages 36–49 before tomorrow.
- Good doctor–patient communication builds trust.
- The company has a New York–based design team.
- The results were between 70 and 85 percent.
- It was a simple decision—or so we thought.
En Dash Rules and Examples PDF
FAQs About En Dash
An en dash is a punctuation mark slightly longer than a hyphen, mainly used for ranges, connections, and relationships between equal terms.
Use an en dash between two values when it means “to” or “through,” such as 2018–2024, pages 10–16, or Monday–Friday.
No. Write either “from 2018 to 2024” or simply “2018–2024.” Do not combine “from” with an en dash in the same construction.
A hyphen joins words or word parts, while an en dash links ranges, places, or balanced terms with a wider separation.
An en dash usually shows connection or range, while an em dash creates a stronger break, interruption, or emphasis within a sentence.
Spacing depends on the style guide, but most modern English styles use no spaces around an en dash in ranges and connections.
On Windows, use Alt codes or symbol insertion; on Mac, press Option and hyphen. Word processors may also create it automatically.
Short Summary
- An en dash (–) is longer than a hyphen and shorter than an em dash.
- Use it for ranges such as 2018–2024 and pages 15–30.
- It can connect places or balanced terms: Karachi–Lahore and doctor–patient.
- Do not write from 2018–2024; write from 2018 to 2024.
- A hyphen joins words, while an em dash creates a break in a sentence.
- En dashes usually appear without spaces in ranges and connections.
