A dash is used to separate information or provide a break within a sentence. It has spaces on either side of it. In WORD, hold the Ctrl key and press the minus key to enter a dash.
- The students – like so many others – were delayed by traffic.
A dash is also used to connect values that are related such as dates, page ranges, and sports scores. In this application, it has no spaces surrounding it.
- World War II lasted from 1935–1945.
- Be sure to read pages 10–30 for tonight's homework.
- The Highlanders defeated the Hurricanes 21–14.
Meanwhile, the hyphen is used to join words, separate syllables, in certain adjectives, or within double-barrelled names.
- free-range eggs
- it's pronounced “oh-tah-goh”
- on-campus
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt