Which punctuation mark is used to indicate a range, such as dates or times, in a document?

Which punctuation mark is used to indicate a range, such as dates or times, in a document?

• A. Comma
• B. Period
• C. En-dash
• D. Hyphen

Answer: (C)

The en-dash is specifically used to indicate a range, making it the correct choice in this case. It visually connects two related values, such as dates or times, to convey a continuous span. For example, writing "January 1–January 31" or "10:00 AM–12:00 PM" clearly shows the range from the beginning to the end of the specified periods. Using a comma or period in this context would not accurately convey a range. A comma typically lists items or separates clauses, while a period indicates the end of a sentence. The hyphen, while it may appear similar, is primarily used for hyphenating compound words rather than indicating a range. Thus, the en-dash stands out as the proper punctuation mark for showing a span of values in a document.

The en-dash is specifically used to indicate a range, making it the correct choice in this case. It visually connects two related values, such as dates or times, to convey a continuous span. For example, writing "January 1–January 31" or "10:00 AM–12:00 PM" clearly shows the range from the beginning to the end of the specified periods.

Using a comma or period in this context would not accurately convey a range. A comma typically lists items or separates clauses, while a period indicates the end of a sentence. The hyphen, while it may appear similar, is primarily used for hyphenating compound words rather than indicating a range. Thus, the en-dash stands out as the proper punctuation mark for showing a span of values in a document.