Dash is a special punctuation mark. On the one hand, its use is quite wide, since this sign is considered to be “copyrighted”, it is often used for intonation, logical emphasis and division of sentences, as well as for creating a special rhythm in the sound of both poetic and prosaic speech. In this sense, any text writer seems to decide for himself in which sentence a dash is placed. In many cases, the author's dash is quite justified, the status of this punctuation mark allows you to quite freely interpret the need for its use. On the other hand, there are quite a few cases when a dash is put in a sentence, but quite often the setting of this sign looks clearly erroneous and does not come from a desire to emphasize special meanings in a sentence, but from ignorance of the rules. Finally, the absence of a mark in the place where it is assumed by the rule is a serious punctuation mistake.
Between subject and predicate
Perhaps the most typical and widespread case when a dash is put in a sentence is its necessity between the subject and the predicate, and it is this case that usually causes the greatest number of questions, and therefore, errors.
So, this sign between the subject and the predicate must be placed if the main members of the sentence are expressed by a noun in the nominative case, a quantitative numeral in the nominative case, or the infinitive.
My dog is a true friend.
To talk about something with your mother is to doom yourself to long questions about piquant topics.
His only hope is to go to an outstanding medical professor.
Do not want to touch such a good taste without it - true love.
Moreover, between the main members of the proposal there should be no verb-connective "exist", "be". A dash is not set, for example, in the following cases:
His cat was his home and family.
Listening to him was a real torment.
A real holiday for the children was to go out of town by car.
A dash is also not set if the predicate contains a negation:
Your mother is not a strong man, why don’t you help her carry a brother?
Between the subject and the predicate before the words “this”, “here”, “means”
A common mistake is not to put a sign between the subject and the predicate if there is a word “this”, “here”, “means” between them. These words do not affect the construction of the sentence in terms of the need to put dashes. Before these words, a dash is set without fail. In these cases, the place where the dash in the sentence is placed is structurally no different from the same place without these words.
Holding your child in your arms is true happiness.
To accept such a position is a great responsibility.
Reading poetry and bedtime stories to children means giving them great pleasure and preparing them for independent reading.
Korney Chukovsky - this is the real joy of my childhood!
Between a pronoun and a noun
Another case where a dash is put in a sentence is some sentences in which the stem is expressed by a personal pronoun (subject) and a noun in the nominative case (predicate).
First, a sign is put in the case when it is necessary to logically distinguish a personal pronoun:
You are the most precious thing I have.
She is a brilliant scientist, an excellent teacher and a real person.
Secondly, a dash is set when the sentence has the reverse word order (not the predicate follows the subject, but the subject after the predicate):
That girl you liked on the train is her.
Everyone respected scientist and poet - he.
Thirdly, according to the rules, a dash is necessary in sentences with a contrast:
We care about you, think about how to help, and you are an egoist.
His father works tirelessly and loves to do everything with his own hands, and he is a loafer.
A sign is placed when two or more sentences in a row have the same structure:
Today you are well done, today you are just smart, today you are the hero of the day!
She, as always, is beautiful, she, as always, is perfection itself.
In incomplete sentences
The so-called intonation dash is placed in incomplete sentences in the event that a pause is assumed in place of the omitted member of the sentence.
We presented a computer to our eldest daughter, and a telephone to the youngest.
Be that as it may, you will have to go to the printing house tomorrow, the day after tomorrow to the post office, and a week later to the bank.
Victor Astafyev wrote my beloved Tsar Fish, and Boris Vasilyev wrote “And the dawns here are quiet.”
It is often believed that a dash in a simple sentence is put in two cases: between the subject and predicate and between words in incomplete sentences, but this is not at all the case.
Intonation dash
Also, an intonation dash is allowed in any sentence between any of its members.
How many times do you say that you should not go there! What are you there - not welcome! What is there over you - they laugh!
It is time to drink tea - with honey and your favorite gingerbread cookies.
When reading literary texts, it is sometimes difficult to understand why a dash is put in the sentence, but most often this sign is not random - it emphasizes the special logic, intonation or rhythm of the statement.
Upon explanation
These signs surround the explanatory isolation.
This trip - participation in the conference - was always remembered as something old and bright.
After the homogeneous members of the sentence
In cases where the homogeneous members of the sentence are preceded by a generalizing word, and after them the sentence continues, after the homogeneous members of the sentence a dash is put.
And suddenly all these kids - a daughter, a nephew, a neighbor's boy and a grandson of an old acquaintance - turned out to be adult independent people with all their points of view.
Of course, most of these topics - death, illness, suffering, loneliness, childlessness, betrayal, lack of money - concern, to one degree or another, every fate.
When specifying time, spatial and quantitative segments
A dash when indicating time, spatial and quantitative segments is placed both between words and between numbers.
We lived there in 1997-2004.
On the Moscow – Vorkuta train, he met an old acquaintance.
If we are talking about printed text, we must remember that in such cases the dash is not separated by spaces and it should be short - even if a long dash is used when typing .
In addition, you need to remember that in the case when you need to put a sign between numbers or words that reflect quantitative uncertainty, not a dash is put, but a hyphen:
About five to seven days, she had not yet left the house.
Add 3-4 teaspoons of anise and dill to the sauce.
Before the generalizing word
The obligatory case when a dash is placed is a sentence in which the generalizing word follows the homogeneous members of the sentence. A dash is placed before it.
Currants, gooseberries, raspberries, jerkins - a girl managed to taste all the berries this summer.
Distant relatives, friends with whom he had not seen for a long time, half-forgotten colleagues from the old work - all of them began to be remembered for some reason recently.
Before the appendix at the end of the sentence
If the application at the absolute end of the sentence needs to be logically highlighted, this is indicated by a dash on the letter:
When we entered, his cat ran out to meet us - fluffy Aliska.
All the way, my son told me incessantly about his new acquaintance - Boris Ivanovich.
How I would like to chat with you as a specialist about my favorite business - construction.
Before the minor member of the sentence, which is expressed by the infinitive
If the minor term of the sentence is expressed by the infinitive and has an explanatory character, it is separated by a dash.
Finally, a plan matured and a decision was born - to take the first step and make peace.
A child who hates school has one option - to use every opportunity to legally skip.
With plug-in designs
Dash marks surround any plug-in designs, including those that end with a question or exclamation mark. This is actually the case when a dash is placed between sentences.
And these little newborn kittens - I don’t even want to think about it! - live in such conditions.
All good students - but how could it be otherwise? - must be passionate about their future profession.
In unionless sentences
In those cases when a dash is set, the all-union proposal contains such parts that are opposed to each other:
We officially invited him to visit - he did not even deign to answer anything.
Give her homework - she will pretend that there was nothing like that.
In addition, a dash is placed in front of that part of the all-union sentence, the meaning of which is to express a conclusion, result or consequence of what is said in the previous part of the complex sentence:
Mom came - and all the sorrows, as always, seemed petty and quickly forgotten.
When making direct speech and dialogue
A dash in a complex sentence is set, in addition, when making a direct speech, it separates the author’s words from the quote:
"I have already come! - the daughter shouted cheerfully and, after a pause, mysteriously asked: “Do you know who I saw today?”
When making a dialogue, a dash is also placed before each statement:
- Is it really impossible to learn how to keep secrets? - Father Mitya asked sternly.
- I can. I keep it, I just didn’t know that you should keep it from you, too, ”the baby answered in a lost voice.
In addition, there are other special cases when a dash is put in the proposal, however, basically all of them are variants or modifications of the above.