Dashes, Design, and Complex Sentences

The following sentence about Apple computers very elegantly demonstrates how dashes set off information in a sentence:

How did he take a commodity — to borrow from the novelist Tom Wolfe, the “veal gray” plastic boxes that once weighed so heavily on both our desks and spirits — and turn it into one of the most iconic and desirable objects on the planet?

— business analyst James B. Stewart, “How Steve Jobs Infused Passion into a Commodity,” nytimes.com, October 7, 2011

The core of the sentence amounts to, “How did he take a commodity and turn it into an iconic, desirable object?” The dashes surround and emphasize a quote that explains why that transformation was remarkable.

We’ve written before about the uses of dashes. When you master the basics of grammar and punctuation, you can design your own sentences to deliver the precise meanings you need your readers to grasp.

Studying the basic mechanics of the sentence is one of the most effective ways to craft prose that will inspire your clients and customers.

Write It Well’s book Essential Grammarincludes two chapters on punctuation and another on sentence mechanics. You’ll learn how to write for maximum clarity and impact in all your business documents.

We’ve made all the book’s exercises available as a free download here to accompany the e-book, which is now available on Amazon.com!

Do you have an important document but not enough time to clarify your thoughts and double-check your punctuation and grammar? Just use Write It Well’s editing services to make sure your readers follow your ideas and respect your voice.