EnglishYear 6Grammar & Punctuation

Use single dashes for emphasis

Use a single dash to indicate a stronger pause or to add an afterthought for emphasis in formal and informal writing

What you'll learn

  1. 1

    Imagine you're writing a story and you want to shout 'NO WAY!' really loudly. A single dash — like a long line — can do that!

  2. 2

    What does a single dash do in a sentence?

  3. 3

    Let's see a dash in action. Read this: 'The cake — it was huge!'

  4. 4

    Drag the dash into the right place to add emphasis: 'My dog [ ] he's the best!'

  5. 5

    Which sentence uses a dash for emphasis?

  6. 6

    Add a dash to this sentence to make it dramatic: 'The rollercoaster — it was terrifying!'

  7. 7

    Why do writers use a single dash?

Practise Use single dashes for emphasis with Whizlo

Free AI-tutored lessons, unlimited practice questions, and progress tracking for ages 10–11. Aligned to the UK National Curriculum.

Start free →Sign in