If you’ve ever paused mid-sentence wondering whether to put spaces around an em dash, you’re not alone. Unlike commas or periods, the em dash doesn’t follow a single universal rule, which is why major style guides often disagree. The question of whether you use spaces with em dashes trips up students, professional writers, and even seasoned editors. Understanding when—and whether—to add spaces can make your writing look cleaner, more polished, and easier to read. This guide breaks down the rules, compares the most influential style guides, and helps you decide the best approach for your next essay, article, or creative project Which is the point..
What Is an Em Dash?
An em dash (—) is a versatile punctuation mark longer than a hyphen and an en dash. Practically speaking, writers use it to signal a sudden break in thought, to set off parenthetical information, or to add emphasis in place of commas, colons, or parentheses. Because it creates a stronger pause than a comma but feels less formal than a colon, the em dash is popular in both creative and academic writing.
Here is an example of an em dash in action:
- The concert—originally scheduled for Friday—was moved to Saturday.
Notice how the dash surrounds the inserted detail without breaking the flow of the sentence. You can also use a single em dash at the end of a sentence for dramatic effect:
- She finally told him the truth—after years of silence.
Do You Use Spaces with Em Dashes? The Short Answer
It depends on the style guide you follow. Some authorities call for no spaces at all, while others recommend placing a space on both sides of the dash. So both approaches are considered correct in different contexts, so the real issue is consistency. If you are writing for a publisher, a news outlet, or an academic institution, you should match their preferred style. If you are writing for yourself or a personal blog, you can choose the look you prefer—as long as you apply it consistently throughout the document.
The Major Style Guides and Their Rules
Different style guides treat the em dash differently. Below is a breakdown of how the most widely used guides handle spacing.
The Chicago Manual of Style
Chicago recommends no spaces around the em dash. This is the standard for most book publishing, academic presses, and formal nonfiction in the United States.
Associated Press (AP) Stylebook
AP style calls for spaces on both sides of the em dash. This is the norm for newspapers, online news outlets, and many digital publications That's the part that actually makes a difference..
APA Style
The American Psychological Association generally uses no spaces around the em dash in scholarly writing, following a closed-up approach similar to Chicago
MLA style likewise omits spaces around the em dash in most humanities prose and citations. British conventions, as outlined in New Hart’s Rules, often favor a spaced en dash rather than a closed em dash for parenthetical breaks, though many UK publishers now accept unspaced em dashes in digital formats Simple as that..
The official docs gloss over this. That's a mistake That's the part that actually makes a difference..
When no external style guide applies, the decision comes down to visual preference and readability. Closed em dashes create a tighter, more integrated look that works well in print and formal manuscripts. Spaced em dashes can feel more open and breathable, which some writers find easier to read on screens. Whichever you choose, apply it consistently from the first page to the last. Switching between spaced and unspaced dashes within the same document distracts readers and undermines professionalism And that's really what it comes down to..
Worth pausing on this one.
A quick technical note: most word processors will convert two hyphens into an em dash automatically, or you can insert one manually—Alt+0151 on Windows or Shift+Option+Minus on Mac. Avoid substituting a hyphen or en dash where an em dash belongs; the difference in length and function is noticeable to trained eyes.
When all is said and done, the em dash is one of the most flexible tools in a writer’s toolkit, but its effectiveness depends on disciplined use. By understanding how Chicago, AP, APA, MLA, and British styles handle spacing—and by committing to one convention throughout your work—you confirm that your punctuation supports your prose rather than competing with it. Whether you prefer the compact look of a closed dash or the airier feel of a spaced one, consistency is what separates polished writing from careless punctuation.
