Question

What are elongated hyphens? Which sentence demonstrates the correct use of elongated hyphens?
Elongated Hyphens would make this sentence grammatically correct:
Gideon and Francis took a difficult but not interesting science course.
A) Gideon - and - Francis took a difficult but not interesting science course.
B) Gideon and Francis took a difficult but not - interesting science course.
C) Gideon and Francis took a difficult - but not interesting - science course.
D) Gideon and Francis - took a difficult - but not interesting science course?

Answer 1

Hint: A hyphen (-) is a punctuation mark which is used to add terms or portions of words. It cannot be interchanged with other kinds of dashes. A dash is longer than a hyphen, usually used for a range or a break. En dash (–) and em dash (—) are the most popular forms of the dash.

Complete answer:
An em dash is known as an elongated hyphen (about the length of three hyphens) that is used for specific purposes. An elongated hyphen emphasises the smooth flow of the sentence. So, out of the options given we have to identify the best-elongated sentence which shows the smooth flow of the sentence.

Option (A) Gideon - and - Francis took a difficult but not interesting science course – As we can see that the hyphen in this option is presented before and after “and” which is incorrect and showing some flaw in the sentence. Therefore, this is an incorrect answer because it does not give the correct essence in the sentence.

Option (B) Gideon and Francis took a difficult but not - interesting science course - Hyphen is used to add terms or other information in a bifurcated way, However, the use of the hyphen is used between not and difference, if we read the sentence as per the hyphen it makes the sentence meaning inappropriate. Therefore, this is an incorrect answer.

Option C) Gideon and Francis took a difficult - but not interesting - science course – this is the correct answer because the use of the hyphen is completely correct and thus, making a smooth sentence. By reading this option, we can easily understand the sentence (after putting a hyphen). Therefore, this is the correct answer.

Option (D) Gideon and Francis - took a difficult - but not interesting science course? - Here the hyphen is presented incorrectly and there is no interrogation in the question and still it ends with the question mark. So, we cannot use this option and therefore, this is an incorrect answer.

Gideon and Francis took a difficult but not interesting science course.
Gideon and Francis took a difficult - but not interesting - science course. (Option C)

Therefore the correct answer is option ‘C’.

Note: In this question it is very important to understand how to put hyphens and to put stress on something to make the sentence run seamlessly if you use an elongated hyphen, elongated hyphen often called the ‘em’ dash (—). The ‘en’ dash is particularly familiar to editors, printers and publishers of desktops and remarkably simple to use once you realise its intent.