Em dashes have emerged as one of the most common tell tale signs of AI-generated content, leading to growing concerts amongst writers who naturally incorporate em dashes into their work. Experts at online language learning platform, Preply, have shared insights into how writers can maintain their identity in an AI-driven world.
With global searches for “em dashes” rising by 145% in the past month and “em dashes vs en dashes” spiking by 433% over the past year, this simple punctuation mark has sparked a new debate. Is AI slowly influencing our writing style?
What is an em dash?
An em dash (—) is a versatile punctuation mark used to create a strong break in a sentence, adding emphasis, clarification, or an abrupt shift in thought. It is typically longer than both a hyphen (-) and an en dash (–). Em dashes can replace commas, parentheses, or colons to create a more dramatic pause or draw attention to specific information. While often used in informal writing to add a conversational tone, em dashes can also provide clarity or highlight important ideas in more formal text.
Anna Pyshna, at Preply, provides insights on navigating this evolving landscape and how writers can still maintain authentic and precise grammar.
“The use of AI in the creative industries is becoming increasingly more common, and while AI tools can certainly enhance productivity and creativity, they shouldn’t dictate how we write. While it is useful to recognise AI patterns, it is important to remember that AI is built upon pre-existing grammatical rules and norms and lacks the creative intuition inherent to human expression.”
How can writers maintain their identity?
Searches for “AI generated text detector” have gone up 45% in the last year, making it completely understandable that writers are increasingly concerned with the content they’ve put so much work into being flagged as machine-generated.
“While I completely understand the writer’s concerns on this topic, I’d encourage them to keep writing in a way that feels natural and true to their style. Em dashes are just a small element of writing, and while they might sometimes be associated with AI, there are many other factors that will make your writing clearly human. For instance, AI-generated text often comes across as overly formal, monotonous, and repetitive. In contrast, writing from a real person tends to be more thoughtful, with personality and nuances that make it stand out.”
For those still worried about how to maintain their identity but want to avoid “em dashes”, Preply has also sought the expertise of Melissa Baerse Berk, Associate Linguistics Professor, University of Chicago:
“There’s a difference between style, which is mainly used in writing, and grammar, which applies to both writing and speaking. The “em dash” is part of what we call prescriptive grammar, a set of rules created by experts to guide language use.
Prescriptive grammar, which focuses on formal language, describes the speech and writing of highly educated people. On the other hand, descriptive grammar reflects how language is actually used in everyday life. So, if you’re wondering about the use of em dashes versus hyphens, there’s no need to worry – they don’t affect how well your message is understood.”
Is AI driving interest in the English language?
The growing online interest in the “em dash” suggests that AI may not only be influencing how we write but also sparking greater curiosity about punctuation and a deeper understanding of the English language.
Anna Pyshna concludes, “AI is definitely making people more conscious of how they write, not just to avoid being mistaken for AI-generated content, but also to preserve their unique voice and style. This shift is encouraging writers to explore grammar rules, punctuation, and stylistic choices more thoughtfully. As a result, there’s a renewed interest in the English language, with more people eager to understand its nuances and use it more authentically.”
Feature Image Credit from Pexels
