Dashes, Parentheses, Commas, and Colons

When to use which in your writing

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While some rules related to grammar are steadfast, some seem to be more optional in nature. When it comes to choosing from among dashes, parentheses, commas, and colons — punctuation marks that often seem to accomplish something similar — most writers simply wing it rather than research which would actually be most appropriate to use in a particular sentence.

Let’s start with a definition from Merriam-Webster for each of these common punctuation marks. A dash indicates “a break in the thought or structure of a sentence.” Parentheses are used to “enclose a parenthetical expression.” A comma is used “as a mark of separation” within a sentence. And a colon is “used chiefly to direct attention to matter (such as a list, explanation, quotation, or amplification) that follows.”

Dashes

Multiple types of dashes exist and are used in different ways. They are also commonly confused with hyphens. To learn more about which type of dash to use when — and when to use a hyphen instead — see “A Beginner’s Guide to Em Dashes, En Dashes, and Hyphens” by Lynda Dietz. When considering whether to introduce something with a dash, it helps to think of a dash as a bit of a drama queen compared with the more utilitarian parentheses, comma, or colon. Dashes are preferred by many writers for many reasons, but they can be overused. They’re best saved to present information that are just as dramatic as they are, though of course there are exceptions to this rule. Sometimes when the information to be included within two dashes, parentheses, or commas contains commas itself, the use of dashes or parentheses helps avoid confusion. If the extra information is not exactly exciting, parentheses might be the better choice.

Parentheses

Parentheses seem to be a much more ordinary, almost skimmed-over, punctuation mark when compared with dashes. In most cases, the information they contain could be deleted without impacting the meaning or tone of a sentence. In the above paragraph, the one sentence that uses dashes could be rewritten using parentheses to read: “To learn more about which type of dash to use when (and when to use a hyphen instead) see ‘A Beginner’s Guide to Em Dashes, En Dashes, and…