Dash After a Topic Word When the Sentence Breaks Off
The Dash
Rulebase Summary
When a sentence begins with a word or words that represent the topic of the conversation and the sentence is then broken off, use a dash after the topic word(s). The speaker introduces a subject but then restructures the sentence.
Examples
A. The meeting, well, it was rescheduled to Thursday.
A. The meeting -- it was rescheduled to Thursday.
Topic word introduced; sentence restructured.
A. My supervisor...he told me to file the report.
A. My supervisor -- he told me to file the report.
Dash after topic word signals the break.
Transcript Notes
This pattern is seen most often with attorneys who throw out the topic they intend to discuss — the exhibit, the letter, the schedule — then stop and start over with a full question. There will always be a noun or pronoun in the full question that refers back to the opening topic word.
Many reporters reject this use of the dash and prefer a comma, though the comma is not really grammatically correct since the opening words have no function in the sentence.
When the sentence is short or there are several instances in a row, some reporters substitute a comma for readability — the dash remains correct.
Style Guide References (1)
BGGP