How To Insert An Em Or En Dash In A Microsoft Word Document (4 Ways With Shortcuts)

How to Insert an Em or En Dash in a Microsoft Word Document (4 Ways with Shortcuts)

Let's a look at some of the different ways you can use below

 

1. Inserting an em or en dash with the Insert Symbol command

You can insert special characters into Word documents using the Insert Symbol command.

To insert an em or an en dash, use the Insert Symbol command as follows:

1. Select the desired location for the em dash or the en dash by clicking on it.

2. In the Ribbon, select the Insert tab from the drop-down menu.

3. Select Symbol from the Symbols group on the left-hand side of the screen. A drop-down menu appears on the screen.

4. Click on the Additional Symbols button. A dialog box appears on the screen. There are two tabs at the top of the dialog box in Microsoft Word.

5. Select the Special Characters tab from the drop-down menu.

6. From the drop-down menu, choose either Em Dash or En Dash.

7. Press the Insert button to begin.

8. Press the Close button to end the process.

The following screenshot depicts the Insert Symbol dialog box in Word:

 

2. Inserting an em or en dash with the help of the Ctrl key and keyboard shortcuts

Ctrl + Alt + – can be used to insert an em dash after selecting the desired location with the mouse. (On the numeric keypad, press the minus sign.)

Press Ctrl + – to insert an en dash after you have selected the desired location with your mouse. (On the numeric keypad, press the minus sign.)

If this does not work, try pressing the NumLock key on the numeric keypad.

 

3. Inserting an em or en dash using AutoFormat as you type

There are built-in options in AutoCorrect's AutoFormat as you type settings that are enabled by default, and these are accessible through the AutoFormat as you type menu.

To have an em dash appear automatically as you type, type the following:

1. Begin by typing a word without a space after it to get the ball rolling.

2. Enter two dashes or hyphens without a space between them or after them in the appropriate places.

3. Substitute another word in its place.

4. Press the Spacebar to begin.

To have an en dash appear automatically as you type, type the following:

1. Type a word into the text box.

2. Press the Spacebar to begin.

3. Use a single hyphen or dash to separate the words.

4. Press the spacebar to begin.

5. Replace the word with another word.

6. Press the Spacebar to begin.

 

4. Inserting an em or en dash using Alt key and keyboard shortcuts 

In addition, you can use the Alt key in conjunction with a numerical sequence to insert an em dash or an en dash into a sentence.

To insert an em dash, first click in the desired location, then press and hold the Alt key while typing 8212 on the numeric keypad until the dash appears.

To insert an en dash, first click in the desired location, then press and hold the Alt key while typing 8211 on the numeric keypad until the dash appears.

If this does not work, try pressing the NumLock key on the numeric keypad.

In contrast to the Alt keyboard shortcuts, which can be used in a variety of programs, the other keyboard shortcuts can only be used in Microsoft Word.