Dashing punctuation - Viva the dash!!!!!

Hi there


It's a changed world - and punctuation
is more casual - for better or worse.

 Just winding down from the course I am attending, 'Writing and Publishing', which I am enjoying thoroughly and learning heaps as well.  The focus tonight was on editing, which included the guidelines which publishers require,  along with an overview of grammatical stuff. 

Being an ex teacher, (but I suspect there is no such animal   once a teacher, always a teacher - and even tho I know it is not OK, I correct my darling G's love letters - but only in my mind)  we explored the usage of such punctuation marks as 'quotation marks,  commas, apostrophes and my favourite little critters - you guessed it - the dash.  

I happen  to adore the dash  - it's not exactly a full stop or a comma, (had to avoid a double negative there) and maybe I am using it as such.  To me, it provides a significant pause without being finished - so the thought is ready to go on without having to start a new thought with a new sentence or to fit in with the semi-colon regime. 
By the way, I can tell your age / stage / country / shoesize  - welllllll  by  whether or not you use certain punctuation marks. 
 Clara

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