What is the difference between using a semi colon and a dash in English?

Question

What is the difference between using a semi colon and a dash in English?

Answer 1

Semi-colons connect related independent clauses.  Sometimes, in publication, you'll see them connect things that aren't independent clauses; that usage is not correct.  Um... for everything else, there's MasterCard and the dash.  The two most common dashes in writing are em (--) and en (-).  An en dash always has spaces around it - like so, while an em dash does not require them.  Other than that, the rules about dashes in general are specious enough that it's up to you how to use them.  They can be used parenthetically, to show changes or interruptions in thought, sometimes even end sentences.

Emily Dickinson uses them quite a bit, so if you want more examples on all the uses of dashes, I would look into her work.  You might not want to use them as much as she does, though. =P

Answer 2

Two sentences which are too important to separate with a full stop, but no conjunction is in between.

I would mostly use a dash between numbers to show a range (eg Maggie Thatcher PM 1979-1990) or a ratio or score (they convicted him by a 10-2 majority, Arsenal beat Manchester United 2-1)

Answer 3

i don't think there is any difference other than this that u choose whichever seems to b more beautiful to u!!

Answer 4

a semicolon (;) is used to separate two independent clauses from each other. in other words, it can be used to correctly separate two complete sentences, instead of using a comma and a conjunction or a period.

a dash is used to separate a phrase or word within a sentence, to either isolate, show emphasis, or define.