It was the question that swept the Internet. Were em dashes—those “weird long dashes” beloved by English majors, grammar nerds, and copywriters alike—a clue that something had been written by AI?

It’s no secret that generative AI seems to have a particular fondness for the em dash. But that’s likely because humans themselves love writing with em dashes, and thus em dashes are everywhere in the training data that AI uses to learn human-like writing patterns.

Thankfully, it seems the general consensus on the matter is no—an abundance of em dashes is not a reliable way to tell if text has been copy-pasted from ChatGPT or other Large Language Models (LLMs).

Fellow em dash lovers, breathe a sigh of relief.

In fact, it can be surprisingly tricky to detect AI-generated text versus human writing, as ChatGPT admitted to us when we asked it how to spot the difference. Some signs to look for are a polished but generic tone, repetitive phrasing and stock phrases, and flawless yet robotic grammar. Generative AI can provide a helpful starting point, but if you don’t edit AI-created writing to match your brand voice, your message can begin to sound fake or flat.

There’s no doubt LLMs and generative AI are shaking up the writing world, and em dashes are no exception. The Three Notch’d Team decided to have a bit of fun and discuss some of our favorite grammar hot takes—and why we love the perfect imperfection of human writing!

The Em Dash

Quick Reference:
The em dash (—) can be used to show a break in thought, set off parenthetical information, or create emphasis—often replacing commas, parentheses, or colons for stylistic effect.

Melissa:
I have an unapologetic love for the em dash. My love of the versatile mark probably began in AP English, reading Emily Dickinson and writing short essays daily. It continued through college and into my early career as a copywriter, where I was told on more than one occasion to use fewer em dashes! Now I use em dashes more in text messages or email than anywhere else (alas!). One thing I’ve always loved about the em dash is how beautifully it mimics the stops and pauses of spoken conversation. There’s just something about using an em dash that makes me feel like I’m using my actual voice to speak to the reader. It feels like a conversation rather than a one-sided blast into the universe. And as someone who loves making verbal asides in conversation—probably an annoying habit to some—the em dash is the perfect way to accomplish the same effect in writing (sorry, I couldn’t resist). So, if I had to pick a favorite punctuation mark, it would have to be the humble, but powerful em dash—AI can’t take that from me!

Ellen:
I’m not exactly sure when and where I fell in love with the em dash, but I fell hard. Like Melissa, I appreciate its knack for mimicking conversation—especially in emails. But, it’s also the visual punch of the extra-long dash that adds a distinct aesthetic quality that few punctuation marks can match. The em dash cuts through text like a confident pause in conversation—its bold horizontal stroke creating visual breathing room that draws the eye and gives prose the natural rhythm of spoken thought. There’s also something deeply satisfying in watching those two humble hyphens transform into that single, elegant line—a small typographic transformation that polishes my thought into clear, conversational tone.

Interesting Tidbit:
The length of the em dash changes depending on the font you use and the font size. So, for a 12-point font, the em dash would be 12 points wide.

The Oxford Comma

Quick Reference:
The Oxford comma is the final comma in a list of three or more items placed before the conjunction and is used to prevent ambiguity in meaning. For example:

Three Notch’d Nonprofit Solutions can help you with grant applications, annual reports, and more!

Ellen:
I didn’t always love the Oxford comma—I actually started on the opposing team. Something about the clean aesthetic of no comma was appealing, the way lists flowed without that final pause before “and.” Or maybe it stemmed from that youthful urge to rebel against convention—something indie rockers Vampire Weekend so perfectly encapsulated in their song, “Oxford Comma.”

It all changed when I became a grant writer, and my first boss was firmly Team Oxford comma. She shared this blog post from the always hilarious Vu Le of Nonprofit AF, somewhat in jest but clearly wanting me to shift my thinking. After sharing a laugh about the post’s over-the-top enthusiasm, I gradually came to my senses and realized the Oxford comma advocates were right all along. Now I’m completely hooked—not just for the clarity it provides, but for how it truly does mirror the natural rhythm of conversation, giving readers those essential beats that mimic how a sentence would be spoken. It eliminates ambiguity and creates clear meaning that flows effortlessly for the reader. This is especially important when grant reviewers are plowing through stacks of applications, and the last thing you want is for them to stumble over an ambiguous list and have to re-read your carefully crafted sentence.

Melissa:
I remember the Oxford comma being drilled into my head in elementary school, so when I briefly flirted with the idea of being a journalism major in college, I was shocked that we were instructed not to use it. I understand the reasoning—printed newspapers only had so much physical space, so each letter counted—but it still felt all wrong. (On the topic of space, one thing I’ve never understood is why the Oxford comma is a space concern, but the AP Style Guide recommends adding spaces around the em dash. Someone explain it to me please.) Outside of the world of journalism, when I see a missing Oxford comma, the voice of my (extremely strict) fifth grade Language Arts teacher still haunts me, and I long to correct it. One of my favorite arguments in favor of using the Oxford comma are all the funny sentences created when it’s missing. For example:

In her acceptance speech, Andrea thanked her parents, Malala Yousafzai and Albert Einstein.

Image from AdAge

Interesting Tidbit:
Why is it called the Oxford comma? The Oxford comma (also called the serial comma) is often traced back to Horace Hart, who oversaw the Oxford University Press from 1893-1915, and required his staff to use the (nameless) comma. However, it wasn’t until Peter Sutcliff wrote a history of the Oxford University Press in 1978 that it came to be called the Oxford comma.

Ending Sentences with Prepositions

Quick Reference:
No, it is not grammatically incorrect to end a sentence with a preposition. While older, more formal grammar rules discouraged it, modern English accepts it—especially when rephrasing would sound awkward or overly formal (e.g., “That’s what we were talking about” is perfectly fine).

Melissa:
I have an internal struggle with this grammar controversy, because while I know it’s technically acceptable to end a sentence with a preposition, I don’t want to. (Ha!) When we’re speaking, we end sentences with prepositions all the time. But to me (and the aforementioned inner monologue of my fifth grade Language Arts teacher), it still looks wrong in written language. Ending a sentence in a preposition feels too sloppy or casual to me, but I also don’t like the writing gymnastics required to make it not end in a preposition. In attempting to re-write, I seem to revert to using passive voice or becoming overly formal. For example:

“Is she the person I should forward it to?”
Vs.
“To whom should I forward the email?”  (So formal!)

Or:
“The email will be forwarded to her.” (So passive!)

Ellen:
Growing up with Classics scholars for parents means I was raised on the “old school” view of language—where traditional rules carried weight in our household. So, like Melissa, I have that familiar voice in the back of my head flagging these constructions as “wrong,” even though I know they’re perfectly acceptable in modern English. But here’s what I’ve come to realize: fighting against natural speech patterns often creates more problems than it solves. Melissa’s examples illustrate this dilemma—the “correct” versions either sound stilted and overly formal (“To whom should I forward the email?”) or force us into passive constructions that weaken our writing. Sometimes the most effective communication means embracing what sounds natural, even if it might not align with more traditional grammar preferences.

I’ve learned to pick my battles. In very formal writing, I’ll still rearrange to avoid the terminal preposition if it doesn’t sound awkward. But in most cases, I’ve made peace with constructions like “That’s something worth thinking about”—because clarity and natural flow are often more important than strict adherence to rules that even many grammarians now consider flexible.

Our Hottest Take

We’ve geeked out and talked about some of our favorite grammar controversies in modern writing. You may be wondering—why does this matter? And what does it have to do with my role as a nonprofit professional?

This is our hottest hot take of them all:

Good writing still matters. The world needs your nonprofit’s mission, and good writing helps you get one step closer to accomplishing your organization’s goals by securing funders and making your voice heard.

Human writing still matters. While we’ve seen that AI is a powerful tool, it can’t replicate your human voice and unique perspective.

Good, human writing—em dashes and all—can lead to genuine connections with funders, powerful stories shared, and lives impacted because of the important work you do.

If the possibility of em dashes being co-opted by AI doesn’t keep you up at night, that’s okay! You can always leave the sleepless nights to us and see how our writing services might be of use to you and your organization. We’d love to chat!