The em dash—that versatile punctuation mark—is often misunderstood or avoided. Many writers, unfamiliar with its proper usage, either shy away from it entirely or use it incorrectly. As a result, it has become a tool mainly for those with a strong command of English, while others miss its expressive potential.
Ironically, AI writing models use em dashes more frequently than most humans. Trained on exemplary writing—from classic literature to contemporary essays—AI naturally reproduces the stylistic choices of authors who know how to wield them. Yet, because many readers are unfamiliar with proper usage, they sometimes assume that articles with numerous em dashes were generated by AI—and dismiss them outright.
This is a flawed argument. Saying “too many em dashes” is not a critique; it is a personal preference. The only valid critique would be improper use—for example, creating confusion or disrupting the sentence’s rhythm. Misuse comes from ignorance, not from the em dash itself.
The em dash has a long history of literary authority. Emily Dickinson famously used dashes to convey pauses and shifts in thought in poems such as “I Felt a Funeral in My Brain”. Henry James used them to create subtle shifts and interruptions in narrative flow, notably in The Portrait of a Lady. Virginia Woolf, in works like Mrs. Dalloway, relied on em dashes to replicate the stream-of-consciousness rhythm of thought. In contemporary writing, essayists like Zadie Smith and journalists like David Foster Wallace use em dashes to introduce digressions, emphasize points, or maintain sentence fluidity without clunky punctuation.
The em dash is more than a stylistic flourish; it is a tool for nuance and precision. To dismiss it simply because it is unfamiliar is to miss its purpose. If you feel compelled to criticize an article for its punctuation, first ask: is the em dash actually misused, or is it performing exactly the function it should—clarifying, emphasizing, or shaping rhythm? Criticizing correct usage achieves nothing and risks making the critique appear careless to those who understand the craft.
In this sense, even initial discomfort with em dashes can be instructive: it is an invitation to read more closely and appreciate subtlety. Criticism is most meaningful when it addresses ideas, clarity, and expression—not punctuation that is doing its job. Properly used, the em dash signals thoughtful writing, precision, and mastery of language and deserves understanding rather than suspicion.
