Em Dashes: The Most Dramatic Punctuation Mark in English—Probably (And why this Aussie prefers to avoid them altogether) There’s no pictures in this one…. it’a all about writing. Why I am writing about this…. Punctuation is the seasoning of language. Some people like it mild. Others toss in em dashes like chilli flakes on everything. The em dash (—) is arguably one of the most expressive, dramatic, and controversial marks in the punctuation pantry. Loved by novelists, adored by copywriters,