ELA Study Guide for the SHSAT

Revising and Editing

Revising and editing is the work that is done after the initial drafting/writing stage. At this point, the text should be read first for “big picture” issues like organization, structure, examples, and evidence—this is the revising stage. Once the content is solid, then editing takes place. In this stage, the text is reviewed at the sentence level for grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors focusing on the nitty-gritty details of the writing.

Arguments

When revising a text, begin by considering the overall argument presented. Is it clear and well-defined? Does it leave the reader confused or uncertain at all? Is there enough evidence and/or examples provided to persuade the audience of the validity of the argument? If the answer to either of the last two questions is “no,” then revision should happen to strengthen or clarify the argument, or add examples or evidence in support of the audience. Conversely, if the text is too wordy and could lose the reader’s attention, consider what parts might be omitted or condensed to streamline the text and make it more manageable for the reader.

Claim and Counterclaim

An argument text should introduce the writer’s claim, or their position with regard to the topic, and address potential counterclaims, or what the opposing side might argue back with. Claims should be precise and specific. They need to be focused enough that the text can clearly address and prove them. Counterclaims should be acknowledged but should be followed by a brief explanation of why that perspective is inaccurate. You don’t want to end up making the other side’s point. Be sure that you come back to support your position.

Reasons and Evidence

In supporting the claim in an argument text, relevant reasons and evidence must be included. The reasons provide the reader with the justification for the writer’s position about the claim. Why are you arguing this position? Those would be your reasons. Evidence refers to the examples or explanations provided as support for the reasons. Reasons must be logical and relevant to be effective. Likewise, evidence should be valid, accurate, and logical.

Organization

To make effective arguments, it’s important to present information in logical ways. Organizing the text by considering how your reader will need to move through the ideas presented and how ideas build on one another will help determine the organization and structure that should be used. It’s generally a good idea to start by introducing the topic and making a clear and specific claim with regard to that topic. From there, effective writers introduce their examples and evidence and explain how these pieces help to make the writer’s main argument. Counterarguments might be considered and rebutted before drawing the text to a close with a concise summary.

Logic

In argumentative writing, it is important to appeal to the reader’s sense of logic or reason. This means that the argument and evidence put forth makes sense to the reader. They can see the connections or understand the reasons by thinking about them. Readers are more likely to be convinced of an argument if the evidence and reasons provided are logical and rational.

Credibility

Writers want to maintain credibility or trustworthiness for the reader. They want the reader to believe what they have to say and, hopefully, consider and accept their argument. This means that they need to present information that is reliable and do so in a way that convinces the audience. Writers that use false information, show excessive bias, or cite unreliable evidence hurt their credibility with the reader and may cause the audience to doubt or even disbelieve their argument. So, when revising a text, it’s important to consider your credibility and decide if there’s anything you need to do to increase your integrity or reputation with the reader so they see you as being someone they can believe in and trust.

Knowledge of Subject

To create an effective argument, the audience must be convinced the writer has knowledge about the subject they are writing about. If the writer doesn’t seem to know what they’re talking about, offers misleading information, or can’t provide specific evidence, they don’t come across as being very credible to the reader. Knowing your subject and writing to share that knowledge and understanding with the reader can help strengthen your argument in a text.

Precise Language Use

Words matter and language wields great power. As the saying goes, “The pen is mightier than the sword,” meaning that the written word can impact the world with more force and wider influence than violence. Using precise, specific language in your writing helps make sure the message is clear and the audience does not misinterpret your meaning. To help build credibility and prove your knowledge of a particular subject, using vocabulary and terms specific to the content is important.

Transitions

Effective writers help guide readers through a text by using appropriate transitions. Transition words give a text a sense of order and organization and can help add emphasis to a text. Transition words and phrases help the reader make connections between the ideas you present in your writing.

Conclusion

It’s not enough to just add a final period to the end of your text. Readers want to finish reading a text and have a sense of conclusion or ending. The conclusion might be a sentence or a paragraph, but should wrap up your message to the audience and leave them thinking about the argument you have made and the information you have presented. This may also include a call to action if you want the reader to do something as a result of having read your argument.

Style and Tone

In revising argument writing, it is important to evaluate the style and tone used. First, are they appropriate for the audience and purpose of the text? Second, are they maintained consistently throughout the text? While the tone may shift in your text, for example, from pessimistic to hopeful, it shouldn’t lose the main “voice” being used. In other words, you don’t want to start with an informal tone and then shift to a formal tone partway through. Maintain the formality throughout and make sure the style remains consistent.

Informational/Explanatory Writing

Informational or explanatory writing, as the name suggests, is writing to inform the reader about a subject or explain a process to them. Since the purpose of this writing is to increase knowledge, the tone is usually matter-of-fact and explanatory.

Introduction

This type of writing begins with an introduction to the topic that will be explained or about which the writer wants to inform the reader. In the introduction, it may be necessary to provide some background information about the topic before beginning to explain or inform the reader about it further. Because informational or explanatory writing can be rather impersonal in its tone, it is important to hook the reader and capture their attention with something that is going to make them want to continue reading to learn more. A clear and concise thesis statement in the introduction will position the reader to know what the subject of the text is and what you’re going to have to say about the subject.

Preview

As part of the introduction, you may want to include a preview, or a sample of what’s to come in the rest of the text. By offering a preview, you let the reader know what to expect and give them a sense of the way the text will be organized and the information it will provide before they start reading.

Strategies

In addition to a preview, the introduction may also need to include definitions of subject-specific terms or classification of ideas. The introduction is where you can introduce the organizational structure of the text and identify the key ideas you will be presenting. For example, you might establish in the introduction that you will be presenting information in a cause and effect structure or that you will be comparing and contrasting ideas or events. There are a variety of strategies you might employ as you develop your introduction, but all of them should serve the same purpose: to prepare your reader for the rest of your text.

Development

After hooking the reader’s attention and providing necessary background information or terminology, it’s time to develop the body paragraphs of your informational or explanatory text. This means providing researched information or outlining specific details to explain the subject to the reader. Depending on how you have chosen to organize your writing, this might be presented as a cause of some sort of issue and then an explanation of the effect of this issue. It might introduce a comparison between two or more things and then a contrast to highlight the differences between them, or it might be to define a term or to classify parts related to the subject. Regardless of the organizational structure of the text, as you develop your written product, be sure to offer the reader valid, appropriate research on the subject and an explanation of what the research proves to ensure your writing is effective in explaining or informing the reader about your selected topic.

Relevant Facts

One element of the development should be the inclusion of relevant facts. This means information that has a logical connection to the topic and helps the reader better understand the subject. By relevant, we mean that the facts or information included relate clearly to the topic and the overall purpose of your writing. While there may be a lot of facts available about a particular subject, you don’t need to include them all to make your point for the reader—select the most appropriate, applicable facts and leave the others out so that you don’t overwhelm the reader.

Definitions

Many explanatory or informational texts are written to introduce the reader to a topic they may be unfamiliar with. This means that you may need to include definitions of subject-specific words or terms that may not be common knowledge. When providing definitions, make sure that the meaning is clear and that the definitions don’t further confuse the reader.

Concrete Details

To inform or explain something to an audience, you will need to use specific concrete details and facts. This means including details that help the reader use their five senses to make meaning of the information being provided. Including details about what something looks like, sounds like, smells like, tastes like, or feels like helps the reader better understand it.

Quotations

Using quotations or words taken directly, word for word, from another source can help you explain a subject or inform a reader more clearly. It is important when using quotations in your writing to make sure that you cite your source and give credit to the person or resource from which you took the quotation. Failure to cite quotations is considered plagiarism and can have severe consequences.

Examples

In addition to concrete details and quotations, using examples that your reader can relate to can help them understand the topic about which you are trying to inform them. Examples should be relevant to the topic and work to help the reader better understand the connections you want them to make to the subject.

Formatting

Again, the structure of an explanatory or informational text can take several formats. The most common organizational structures include cause and effect, compare and contrast, classification, and definition. Regardless of the organization used, the format of the text should include an introduction paragraph, then well-developed body paragraphs that include examples and concrete details, and end with a conclusion paragraph where you leave the reader with something to think about after reading your text.

Graphics

As they say, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” Sometimes including an image, chart, or other graphic can help the reader better visualize the information you are providing. Graphics should be used to enhance the text, however, and should not be used in place of textual explanation but to enhance the explanation you are giving.

Precise Language

As with argument writing, it is important to use precise, specific language in an informational or explanatory text. Because your reader may not be familiar with the topic, using (and defining) subject-specific vocabulary will help them better understand what you’re talking about.

Transitions

Transitioning your reader from idea to idea, or from step to step, is important in informational and explanatory writing. Use specific, appropriate transition words or phrases to identify for the reader what order things come in or to make the connections between different ideas being presented.

Conclusion

Just like with argument writing, you want to include a conclusion paragraph that gives your reader a sense of closure after reading your text. This might be a brief summary of the information that was just presented, highlights of the main ideas explained, or something to think about as they finish reading your text.

Style

As with any writing, it is important to maintain a consistent style throughout your explanatory or informational text. Because of the nature and purpose of these kinds of text, your personal opinions, judgments, or arguments should be left out of this style of writing.

Narrative Writing

Writing that tells a story is called narrative writing. These stories might be about real or imaginary people, places, or events. Narrative writing can be of any length, but to be effective, it must engage the reader and keep them wanting to “turn the page” and learn more. Often, this is done by developing relatable characters who engage in interesting plot action and face challenges or obstacles that the reader can recognize and may have experienced themselves. Once engaged, the reader will continue reading the text to find out what happens to the characters and how things turn out for them in the end.

Engaging the Reader

To engage the reader, or hook their interest to want to read more, writers need to consider their audience and think about what would interest them and what kind of story should be told. Creating a captivating setting, developing meaningful characters, and using dialogue and description help keep the reader’s attention.

Point of View

When telling a story, it is important to establish the point of view, or perspective from which the story is being told. This might be a first-person narrator or a third-person perspective. It is important to establish the point of view early on in the story and to maintain that same voice and perspective throughout.

Narrator and Character Introduction

Early in the writing of a narrative text, the reader needs to be introduced to the narrator, if there is one, and to the characters whose lives they are going to follow during the course of the story. Introducing the narrator and the characters is part of the exposition of a story, when the reader is exposed to, or introduced to, the characters. This might be done through direct or indirect means. With direct characterization, the writer tells the reader directly what a character is like; indirect characterization requires the reader to determine what a character is like based on what that character says or does or how other characters respond to them.

Narrative Techniques

The term narrative techniques refers to any of the methods writers use to plan and tell a story. These include things like considering the dialogue of characters, the description of characters and setting, the pacing of the plot of the story, and reflection for the reader on the theme(s) presented in the story.

Dialogue

When characters engage in dialogue, it means they have a conversation or discussion. These conversations can take place between two or more people. Sometimes writers have characters engage in internal dialogue where the character is talking to themselves, usually in their heads, to express their thoughts in a way the reader can access and know what they are thinking. External dialogue takes place between two or more characters.

Description

As writers develop their story, they include details or descriptions to help the reader visualize the characters and setting of a story. Description helps the reader understand what a character is thinking or feeling, and helps them create a mental picture of what things look like, sound like, smell or taste like, or feel like. Without description, the reader won’t be able to fully understand or engage with the story.

Pacing

The pacing of narrative writing refers to how quickly the events of the plot unfold. Some writers spend a long time developing and introducing characters before the action really gets started. Some jump right into the action. Pacing is an important consideration because it can build tension and affect how engaged the reader stays. If a story’s pace is too slow, the reader may lose interest. Too quick, and they may feel like they missed something. So writers must be intentional about considering the speed at which their story is told.

Reflection

While narrative writing is often done to entertain an audience, writers generally include a theme or message for the reader. As they read a narrative, and certainly at the end of a reading, the audience should reflect on the story’s message or theme. What did the writer want the reader to walk away with? What should they be thinking about once the story has come to an end? This kind of reflection enhances the reader’s understanding of a narrative and can help them continue to make meaning even after the story is over.

Transitional Words

As with all effective writing, narrative writing needs transitions to guide the reader through the story. These transitional words help the reader understand the order of events and make connections as they read.

Showing Sequence

Some transitional words show sequence, or order of events. Sequential transition words help the reader understand the events of a story in logical order; they often relate to what happend first, next, then, and last.

Shifting the Story

Transitional words can also help shift the story to a new setting or time period. For example, meanwhile, after, two weeks later, In July 1776, the streets of London, the small hill outside of town are all transitional words or phrases that move the reader in time or place.

Showing Relationships

In addition to showing sequence or shifting the story, transitional words can also be used in narratives to show relationships between characters or among experiences and events. Words and phrases like consequently, as a result, besides, in addition to, and because indicate the relationships between events or experiences in the story.

Action and Event Language

To keep the reader engaged and interested in the story, narrative writing needs to include some action! The rising action in a story moves the reader to the climax, while falling action explains what happens as a result of the action or decision a character took at the climactic moment. Event language helps move the plot of the story along to get the reader from the beginning to the middle to the end.

Precise

Action and event language should be precise. Because you don’t want to bore the reader with unnecessary words, it’s important to select precise, specific words and vivid verbs to accurately describe what is happening in the story.

Descriptive

To help the reader create a mental picture of what is happening in the story, writers use descriptive words. Descriptive language helps the reader create a sense of the action in a narrative and better understand how the characters might feel or react to it.

Sensory

Sensory language or sensory details are those words and descriptions that appeal to the five senses: taste, smell, touch, sight, and hearing. When sensory language is used, it is easier for the reader to accurately interpret what is happening in the narrative.

Conclusion

The conclusion in a narrative is usually longer than in an argument or explanatory text. Whereas those kinds of writings can end with a single paragraph, it usually takes a few paragraphs for a narrative to wrap things up. The conclusion includes the resolution, or the part of the narrative that explains what happens after the falling action. It concludes the action, but also gives the reader something to think about or reflect upon after the reading.

Alignment

The conclusion should wrap up all of the loose ends of a story and align with previous events. The conclusion is not the place to introduce new characters or add a plot twist because there isn’t time at that point to leave the reader with a satisfactory sense of closure. The conclusion is intended to bring things to a close, not introduce something new.

Development

The action and events developed during the narrative should be brought to a close in the conclusion. Further development should not be taking place at this point; instead, things should be wrapping up and giving the reader a sense of closure.

Other Language Skills to Apply

As you revise and edit your writing, there are several other language skills to consider and apply. The revision and editing stages are your last opportunity to reorganize and polish your writing to make the best impression on your reader that you can. In preparation to do that, consider these language skills as you edit.

Redundancy and Wordiness

It is important to avoid redundancy, or using unnecessary words, when you’re writing. That unnecessary repetition can make it harder for a reader to stay engaged with what you’ve written as it may cause confusion or boredom. Using more words than necessary, wordiness, is another consideration writers should make. Just as you don’t want to repeat words, you don’t want to add extra words just to make a text seem longer or sound “smarter.” Instead, get rid of unnecessary words and select more precise words that capture the mood, feeling, or meaning you really intend.

Special Verb Use

Verb use can be tricky in certain circumstances because their forms are sometimes altered. Here are some examples of special verb use to be aware of and consistent with in your writing.

Active Voice

In a sentence written in active voice, the subject of the sentence is actively doing, has done, or will do the action of the verb. Here are some examples of sentences written in active voice—note that the verb can be past, present, or future.

Carol knitted a sweater for her dog.

Coach knows the score of the game.

The boss will be at the meeting.

Passive Voice

In a sentence written in passive voice, the action of the sentence, the verb, is done to the subject of the sentence rather than by the subject of the sentence. Notice that all of the passive voice sentences use by to indicate the action was performed by someone or something other than the subject of the sentence.

The sweater for the dog was knitted by Carol.

The score of the game was known by Coach.

The meeting will be attended by the boss.

Conditional Mood

A verb written in the conditional mood means that something could happen. This verb form is often used to make requests.

She would like an extra blanket.

The cat might be hiding under the bed.

Jack could have shared his book.

Subjunctive Mood

In the subjunctive mood, the verb acts as a wish, introduces an uncertainty, or makes a demand. Use of the subjunctive mood can affect the mood of the text and the reader’s understanding and interpretation of it.

Larry proposes we move the meeting to 1:00.

If Mom were here, she’d know what to do.

I doubt he will like that flavor.

Writing Conventions

The term “writing conventions” refers to the predefined rules used to make writing understandable to the reader. These include elements like spelling, punctuation, and capitalization. They also cover grammar rules like subject-verb agreement and sentence structure.

Pronouns

A pronoun is a part of speech that can replace a noun and function independently. Pronouns serve as substitutes for the antecedent, or the noun that is referred to by the pronoun.

Lucy and Sam have a test tomorrow so they are going to study together after school. (they replaces Lucy and Sam)

Nathan’s mom puts fresh flowers in her favorite vase every Saturday afternoon. (her refers to Nathan’s mom)

Do you know where the post office is? (you is implied as the person being spoken to)

subjective—A subjective pronoun is a personal pronoun that names the subject of the sentence and performs the action of the verb in the sentence. Subjective pronouns are I, you, he, she, it, we, they, and who. Here are some subjective pronouns in action:

They are running a successful business.

I wish it was summer.

objective—An objective pronoun receives the action in a sentence. Objective pronouns are me, you, him, her, us, them, and whom. Here are some objective pronouns in action:

The hostess sat us at a table in the corner. (us receives the action the hostess did)

Eli said he sent me an email last week. (me receives the action of what Eli sent)

possessive—A possessive pronoun indicates ownership or possession. Possessive pronouns include mine, yours, his, hers, ours, and theirs.

The game they’re playing is mine.

John accidentally grabbed Katie’s keys instead of his.

agreement in number—To follow the written conventions, pronouns and antecedents must agree in number. This means that if a sentence has a plural subject (noun), the pronoun must also be plural. If the antecedent is singular, the pronoun that refers to it must also be singular.

The kids ate too much popcorn at the movie and ruined their dinner.

When Dad gets a cold, he gets cranky.

agreement in person—Just as pronouns and their antecedents must agree in number, they must also agree in person. First-person pronouns like I, me, or we are used together; second-person uses you. Pronouns like one, everyone, and everybody are third-person pronouns and should be used with he, her, his, hers, him, or she.

I asked for directions and my sister came with me.

You need to apologize because you hurt his feelings.

Everybody has been turning in their homework lately.

antecedent clarity—To avoid confusion or misunderstanding, it’s important to be clear about who or what the pronoun is referring to in a sentence. For example,

The customer called the store, but they didn’t answer. Who didn’t answer? The they could be misinterpreted.

When Suzie told Mabel what happened, she cried. Who cried? Suzie or Mabel?

Phrases and Clauses

Phrases and clauses are groups of words that act as a unit. A phrase is a unit that does not include a subject and a verb, and therefore cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. A phrase may include a noun or a verb, but does not include all parts required to make a complete sentence. Here are some examples of phrases—notice that in each there is either a subject or verb (or both!) missing:

my favorite sweater (no verb)

in the snow (no subject or verb)

was happy to attend the ceremony (no subject)

skating around the rink (no subject)

A clause is a group of words that does contain both a subject and a verb, but may or may not express a complete thought and therefore may not be able to stand on its own as a complete sentence. If a clause expresses a complete thought, it can be a complete sentence and is called an independent clause. However, if the clause is missing something that would make it seem complete, it is a dependent or subordinate clause. Here are some examples of dependent and independent clauses:

who helped us (dependent)

where he lives (dependent)

She is smart. (independent)

They travel. (independent)

functions—Phrases and clauses serve different functions, although they both express an idea. Phrases can act as nouns, verbs, adjectives, or adverbs within a sentence. Clauses provide information about what a subject is doing.

placement—Clauses can be placed anywhere in a sentence. If the clause contains a subject, a verb, and expresses a complete thought, it is an independent clause and can stand by itself as a complete sentence. However, dependent clauses must be attached to an independent clause in a complete sentence, either at the beginning or at the end of the sentence.

While phrases can be found anywhere in a sentence as they are added to an independent clause, when they act as an adjective or adverb, they should be placed as close to the words they are describing as possible to avoid confusion or misunderstanding. If a phrase starts a sentence, it is usually followed by a comma.

dangling modifiers—A modifier is a word or phrase that provides more information in a sentence. When they’re located too far away from what they’re describing or modifying, however, it can create confusion. This is often referred to as a misplaced modifier. A dangling modifier happens when the sentence doesn’t include a specified subject to modify. This can make things confusing. Here are a few examples:

Having arrived at the address, there was no one home. (There is no named subject, leaving the modifier to dangle in this sentence.)

Having arrived at the address, we discovered there was no one home.

As an apology, Sarah was unimpressed by the bouquet of flowers.

As an apology, Sarah’s boyfriend bought her a bouquet of flowers, but she was unimpressed.

Verbals

You likely know that verbs are words that indicate actions or a state of being. A verbal is a verb that acts as another part of speech. There are three types of verbals in the English language: gerunds, participles, and infinitives. In these cases, the verb functions as a noun, adjective, or adverb instead of the usual role a verb plays.

gerund—A gerund is a verb that acts as a noun rather than as a verb. Gerunds can be easy to spot because they generally end in -ing. Consider this sentence:

Mary and Kate love camping.

The verb, or action word, in the sentence is actually love and the who or what they love is camping, a verb form (camp) with -ing added to the end to create a noun.

Here are some more examples of sentences that use gerunds.

Sam hates cleaning the bathroom.

We went skating on the frozen pond.

participle—A participle is a verb form pretending to be an adjective. Participles can be present or past, and can be easily determined by looking at their ending. Most present participles end in -ing (just don’t mistake them for gerunds!) and most past participles end in -ed. Remember that to be considered a participle, the verb form must be acting as an adjective.

Here are some examples of participles at work in sentences:

We see the migrating birds in our town in March.

Ted was exhausted after running the marathon.

The dessert table was loaded with tantalizing treats.

The galloping zebras escaped from the transport truck.

infinitive—A verb form appearing as the stem, or base, form of a verb with the word “to” in front of it is called an infinitive. As the name suggests, it is not finite, and is an unconjugated verb. Infinitives can act as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs.

Here are some examples of infinitives used in sentences:

Annika wants to find a summer job.

When you buy the large size drink, you get to keep the cup as a souvenir.

Her mother gave Marla a string of pearls to wear on her wedding day.

Voice

When writing, it is important to establish and maintain a clear and consistent voice. A writer’s voice comes across through the diction, or word choice, the tone, and the sentence structure. Think of the voice in a text as its personality—it might be witty, critical, informational, or patient. As you write, determine the voice you want to present to the reader and make sure that you use a consistent voice throughout the text. This means maintaining the point of view and not switching back and forth.

Verb Shifts

Sometimes writers switch verb tense, or time frames, within a text. When done purposefully, it may indicate an intended change in when an action took place. However, sometimes the tense shifts when it shouldn’t, and that can cause confusion. Within a sentence, the verbs usually want to share the same tense, unless a series of events is being described. Here are some examples of sentences with incorrect verb shifts:

Ryan was watching TV when his brother comes in and changes the channel.

Tomorrow’s forecast is for rain and wind, so Anna brings a poncho.

Selena is reading a book and her mom slammed the door.

Punctuation

The marks included in a text that indicate how it should be read and separate ideas are known as punctuation. There are three types of punctuation to end a sentence: a period, a question mark, and an exclamation point. But within sentences there are other types of punctuation that can make a reader pause (like a comma), offer the writer a chance to add information (parentheses or colons), or indicate that some information has been left out (ellipses).

Comma

The comma (,) is one of the most versatile forms of punctuation, but can also cause a lot of problems with misuse. Commas are most often used to indicate a pause, to separate items in a list, or to mark separate clauses in a sentence. Small but mighty, they can dramatically change the meaning of a sentence. For example,

Let’s eat, Grandma.

Let’s eat Grandma.

The first sentence suggests it’s time for a meal. The second sentence suggests Grandma should run because she is the meal.

Parentheses

Parentheses are used to add information to a sentence. Whatever is located within the parentheses is not vital to the sentence being complete, but offers additional information on the topic. Parentheses may also be used to add emotion or feeling to a sentence or to contain an acronym.

Sally will meet us this afternoon (around four o’clock) for our study session.

I passed my math exam (yay!) and now I can concentrate on my science project.

The United States Postal Service (USPS) was formed in 1971.

Dashes and Hyphens

Although they look very similar and are commonly confused, dashes and hyphens are distinct forms of punctuation serving different purposes. A hyphen appears as a short dash (-) and is used to join words or between numbers that are spelled out.

We parked in long-term parking at the airport.

There’s nothing better than a home-cooked meal.

Twenty-seven birds sat on the telephone wire.

He took over-the-counter medication to reduce the swelling from his injury.

There are actually two types of dashes. An en dash (–) is a little bit wider than a hyphen, but narrower than an em dash. It is used to show a range or span in numbers, dates, or time. For example:

Our homework was to read chapters 3–5 for Monday.

The store is open Mondays–Fridays, 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

The final score was 12–8 after overtime.

An em dash (—) is longer than an en dash and is used to set off extra information included in a sentence. It can replace parentheses, commas, and colons. When used to replace parentheses, em dashes draw more attention to the content they include. They are often used to “interrupt” a sentence with more information or to provide emphasis when used to replace commas or to draw attention to the end of a sentence when used to replace a colon.

Caitlin Clark—a native of West Des Moines, Iowa—became the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer by surpassing Pete Maravich’s old record from 1970.

Archeologists uncovered several ancient mosaics—12 in all—adorning the walls of the bathhouse.

The cafe offered four different tea options—Oolong, English Breakfast, Moroccan Mint, and Rooibos Chai.

Ellipsis

An ellipsis is a type of punctuation mark that appears as three dots (…). It is used to indicate a pause or break in the text, or a place where there is an omission of words. Ellipses can also be used to indicate that there’s something left unsaid, like a thought that trails off without coming to a specific conclusion.