These are not, technically, ranges, because nothing exists between them, as in the case of “2009–2012,” in which that time span includes 20 as well, and of “chapters 1–10,” which also includes every page between 1 and 10.
Two contexts that cause confusion about which dash to use are scores and votes. (And note that “from 2009–2012” and “between 2009–2012” are incorrect either use both from and to, or between and and, or neither.) The same treatment is given to a sequence of components, such as a range of chapter or page numbers or amounts (for example, “chapters 1–10” or “250–300 pages”).Ī range of monetary amounts - and any other amounts - is also represented this way, as in “Salary range: $75,000–$80,000.” (Note that when expressing a range with very large numbers, to avoid confusion, the first number should not be abbreviated for example, “$75–$80,000” means “from $75 to $80,000,” not “from $75,000 to $80,000.”) But for almost all other cases, the correct punctuation mark is an en dash, which indicates a range or a difference.Ī span of years (such as “2009–2012”) or any other time range includes an en dash.
Hyphens are used to separate groups of numbers, such as in telephone numbers or numbers of financial accounts.
Which symbol should be used with numbers: a hyphen (-), or an en dash (–)? The question may seem trivial - a dash is a dash, right? - but using the correct symbol aids comprehension, just as commas and semicolons signal distinct grammatical structures, and no one will argue that those two punctuation marks can be used interchangeably. Use a Dash for Number Ranges By Mark Nichol
0 kommentar(er)
