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How to use different length dashes?

18 hours ago

     I've noticed that people use dashes of length -, --, or ---. I don't know the difference really, but I know single dashes can connect two words to make one word or whatever. You probably know what I mean. Anyway, these have names? How do you know when to use which length --- I want to use dashes in a story and aren't sure how. Did I use the dashes just a sentence ago right?

How to use different length dashes?

17 hours ago
They're called em dashes if you want to look them up.
They're inferior to the noble semi-colon but just use two of them in any place where they fit.

Don't worry about the long dash, that's a special charwcter not found on a standard keyboard--two like this means the same thing, and they're more fit for humans.