Dashes Around a Complete Thought Dropped Inside a Sentence
The Dash
Rulebase Summary
When a complete thought is dropped inside another sentence, surround it with a pair of dashes. If the sentence within the dashes is a statement, do not use any terminal punctuation before the second dash. If the sentence within the dashes is a question, use a question mark before the second dash. If the sentence outside the dashes is asking a question, put a question mark at the end of that sentence without regard to the punctuation inside the dashes.
Examples
A. The defendant, I saw him clearly, was standing near the door.
A. The defendant -- I saw him clearly -- was standing near the door.
Dashes surround the inserted thought; no period inside.
Q. The report, was it filed on time, supports your claim?
Q. The report -- was it filed on time? -- supports your claim?
Question inside dashes gets ?; outer sentence gets its own ?.
Transcript Notes
This construction rarely occurs in correct written English — it is usually encountered only when punctuating the spoken word. Do not be confused by the word 'and' at the beginning of the complete thought inside the dashes; it is not linking anything grammatically.
The terminal punctuation for the outside sentence relates only to that sentence: a period for a statement, a question mark for a question. The sentence within the dashes has its own punctuation — no terminal mark if it is a statement, a question mark if it is a question.
If the suspended idea is not inconsistent or confusing to the main idea, the interruption can be treated as a parenthetical expression and enclosed with commas instead of dashes.
Style Guide References (9)
BGGP
BGGP
BGGP
BGGP
Morson's
Morson's
BGGP
BGGP
BGGP