[e.] A dash should be made about three times as long as a hyphen; otherwise it may be mistaken as the sign of a compound word.
Exercise:
- The boy left the package on the where did that boy leave the package?
- She was haughty independent as a queen in fact and she told him no.
- The clatter of the other typewriters, the relentless movement of the hands of the clock, the calls from the press room for more copy, these made Sears write like mad.
- He made her acquaintance what do you think of this by scribbling his name and address on some eggs he sold to a grocer.
- He obtained a position in a big department store—his good taste was quickly recognized—within a month he was dressing the windows.
[Parenthesis Marks and Brackets]
[95a.] Parenthesis marks may be used to enclose matter foreign to the main thought of the sentence. (But see also [94a] and [91e].)
- Right: His testimony is conclusive (unless, to be sure, we find that he has perjured himself).
[b.] A comma or a semicolon used at the end of a parenthesis should as a rule follow the mark of parenthesis rather than precede it.
- Right: If there is snow on the ground (and I am sure there will be), we shall have plenty of sleighing.
[c.] When confirmatory symbols or figures are enclosed within parenthesis marks, they should follow rather than precede the words they confirm.
- Wrong: They earn (3) dollars a day.
- Right: They earn three (3) dollars a day. [Or] They earn three dollars ($3) a day.