Kaplan Nursing Entrance Practice Exam

What is a primary function of dashes in writing?

1. To emphasize main ideas

2. To indicate an abrupt change in thought

3. To connect ideas smoothly

4. To create a formal tone

The correct answer is: To indicate an abrupt change in thought

A primary function of dashes in writing is to indicate an abrupt change in thought. Dashes effectively signal a shift in the flow of a sentence, allowing the writer to insert a break that adds emphasis or introduces an unexpected idea. This stylistic tool creates a conversational tone, suggesting a shift that mirrors natural speech patterns where thoughts might suddenly change or expand. While dashes can enhance the clarity of writing, they notably serve to interrupt a sentence in a way that draws attention to the inserted information. This element makes dashes particularly useful for highlighting additional details or clarifications that complement the main idea without fully interrupting the overall structure of the sentence. The other options, although relevant to punctuation, do not accurately encapsulate the primary function associated with dashes as effectively. Emphasizing main ideas can be accomplished with various punctuation marks, and connecting ideas smoothly is typically the role of commas or conjunctions. Creating a formal tone is often achieved with other types of punctuation or sentence structures that maintain a level of decorum not necessarily associated with the unique style dashes contribute.