Who the hell is Em Dash?
‘Who is she!?’
Why Does AI Love the Em Dash (—) So Much?
If you’ve been reading AI-generated content lately, you’ve probably spotted it: that dramatic long dash (—). It’s like AI’s favourite punctuation for breaking up sentences and adding unnecessary flair. So, why does AI overuse the em dash? Well, it’s because AI’s been trained on an endless sea of text where this dash pops up all the time. It’s the AI equivalent of someone talking with their hands too much, just a little bit too extra.
What Is an Em Dash?
So, what’s the deal with this fancy dash anyway? An em dash (—) is like the cool older sibling of the hyphen (-) and the en dash (–). It’s longer, more dramatic, and loves to step in when things get intense in a sentence. It’s used to add emphasis, create a pause, or just make a sentence feel important. Here’s an example of it flexing its muscles: "He was about to walk out the door—when he realised he’d forgotten his keys." See? Nothing like a dramatic pause.
What Can You Use Instead of an Em Dash?
Don’t panic, there are plenty of ways to mix it up and avoid the dreaded overuse of the em dash. Here’s how to shake it up a bit:
Commas (,): Use them for adding a little something extra, like the extra shot of espresso you sneak into your morning coffee.
Semicolons (;): When you’ve got two closely related ideas that deserve their own space but are too stubborn to be separate sentences.
Colons (:): Perfect for introducing a list (or a punchline, if you’re feeling cheeky).
Parentheses (()): The more subtle cousin of the em dash, for when you want to add info without making a scene.
Periods (.): If you want to call it a day and wrap up a thought like it’s the end of the working day at your favourite coffee shop.
Mix it up! Too many em dashes and you’ll start to sound like you’re having a punctuation party and forgot to invite anyone else.
AI tends to overuse the em dash (—) because it’s often found in the training data, where it’s used to add emphasis or break up thoughts. It’s like the AI’s favourite punctuation for drama, even when it’s not needed. To avoid the overuse, try switching it up with commas, semicolons, or colons. The em dash is great for making a point, but too many can make your writing feel a bit heavy-handed. It’s all about balance—don’t let the dash steal the show! (that was intentional by the way).
