You literally can just long press the normal hyphen on the iOS keyboard, probably similar in Android

So, you saw an em dash in a sentence and immediately screamed “AI!”? Hold up. That long, dramatic line — yeah, that one — has been around way before ChatGPT slid into your DMs. Writers have been using em dashes for centuries to spice things up, create vibes, and break the rules in the coolest way possible.

Here’s the tea: the em dash is a tool, not a tell. Just because an AI uses it doesn’t mean it’s some secret signature. You know who else uses em dashes? Literally every author who’s ever wanted to sound clever, casual, or just a little chaotic.

So next time you spot an em dash, don’t panic. It’s punctuation, not a personality test.

  • T34_69 [none/use name]@hexbear.netEnglish
    0·
    3 days ago

    Alt 0151. I use it often and have instructed students on the difference between a semicolon, a period, and an em dash and when it’s best to use each of them. It helps me write how I speak. I guess eventually someone’s going to accuse me of using ChatGPT because of my em dashes and idk, they can kiss my ass?

    • dave@feddit.ukEnglish
      2·
      3 days ago

      I hope you include use of the en-dash too. I use them 2–3 times a week.