Hyphens and En Dash

[Surelyknot]

I'm using Word 2003 Windows XP
I cannot get two hyphens typed together to become an en dash.
I've gone into Tools - Auto Correct Options and under Autoformat and
Aoutformat as you type have checked the box for changing hyphens to an en
dash.

Any suggestions? Is there something else that needs to be checked?

 

[Graham Mayor]

Use Ctrl + minus on the numeric keypad instead. It's one fewer keystrokes.

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Graham Mayor - Word MVP


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[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

If you type two hyphens together with no spaces before or after, they will
be converted to an em (not en) dash after you complete the word following
the hyphens.

To get two hyphens (or a single hyphen) converted to an en dash, you must
include spaces before and after the hyphen(s).

As Graham says, using a keyboard shortcut is more direct and more easily
controllable (especially if you want to insert an en dash where you don't
want spaces). If you don't have easy access to a numeric keypad, you can
assign your own keyboard shortcut (I use Ctrl+Shift+N).

 

[Surelyknot]

Thanks Suzanne for the explanation. I will use the keyboard shortcut that
Graham suggested. That works for me.

Thanks to both of you.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Glad I could help.

 

[pegfishr]

Thanks Suzanne for the explanation. I will use the keyboard shortcut that
Graham suggested. That works for me.

Thanks to both of you.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Is there a new question here?