Which sentence correctly uses a dash to set off a parenthetical phrase?

Which sentence correctly uses a dash to set off a parenthetical phrase?

• A. He would—if he had time—join us.
• B. He would, if he had time, join us.
• C. He would - if he had time - join us.
• D. He would: if he had time: join us.

Answer: (A)

Using an em dash to set off a parenthetical phrase creates a quick, interruptive aside that stays tightly connected to the surrounding sentence. Here, the phrase “if he had time” is extra information that could be removed without altering the main idea. The em dashes frame that aside: He would—if he had time—join us. This signals a sharper pause and a more abrupt feeling than commas would. The other options either use commas (a softer setting of the aside), use hyphens in a nonstandard way for this function, or use a colon which changes the rhythm and isn’t correct for enclosing a parenthetical phrase in this context.

Using an em dash to set off a parenthetical phrase creates a quick, interruptive aside that stays tightly connected to the surrounding sentence. Here, the phrase “if he had time” is extra information that could be removed without altering the main idea. The em dashes frame that aside: He would—if he had time—join us. This signals a sharper pause and a more abrupt feeling than commas would. The other options either use commas (a softer setting of the aside), use hyphens in a nonstandard way for this function, or use a colon which changes the rhythm and isn’t correct for enclosing a parenthetical phrase in this context.