Em dashes help writers emphasize a point, set off information, or signal a sudden shift in thought—making text clearer and more engaging. In Google Docs, standard keyboards don’t have dedicated keys for special punctuation marks, such as an en or em dash. However, Google Docs provides a way to insert them into your documents.
How to Get an Em Dash in Google Docs
Step 1: Open a 'Blank Document' in Google Docs
Readers or users need to open their desired or Blank document in Google Docs.
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Step 2: Look for the 'Insert' Menu in Toolbar
After opening a blank document, locate and click on the "Insert" menu at the top of the Google Docs window or toolbar.
Step 3: Select 'Special Characters' in 'Insert' Menu Option
In the 'Insert' menu of the toolbar, select the "Special characters" option in the dropdown menu. This particular option will allow you to insert various special characters, including the em dash.
Step 4: Search for the 'Em Dash' in 'Special Characters'
Type "em dash" or "— (em dash)" into the search bar of the "Special characters" window. This will filter the available characters to display the em dash.
Step 5: Insert the 'Em Dash'
Click on the em dash character once it appears in the search results. This action will insert the em dash directly into their document at the cursor's location.
Alternative Method: Use the Keyboard Shortcut
An alternative method for inserting an em dash is by pressing the "Ctrl + Alt + -" keys simultaneously on Windows or "Option + Shift + -" on macOS.
Step 6: Confirm the Em Dash
Encourage readers to confirm that the em dash has been inserted correctly in their document.