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How to stop chat gpt from using em dashes completely

User Pushback | Em Dashes Remain a Thorn in ChatGPT User Experience

By

Priya Singh

Jun 27, 2025, 03:36 PM

Updated

Jun 27, 2025, 09:33 PM

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A text document with clear sentences and no em dashes in sight, showing a simple and straightforward writing style
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A growing coalition of people is voicing their frustration over ChatGPT's persistent use of em dashes. Despite requests to eliminate this punctuation, concerns have largely gone unheard, prompting community discussions about alternatives.

Unyielding Em Dashes

Recent chatter on forums highlights dissatisfaction with ChatGPTโ€™s ongoing preference for em dashes. A directive to stop using them in favor of periods and commas seems to have fallen on deaf ears, leaving many users feeling ignored.

One user remarked, "Just correct it in the moment instead of telling it to stop using em dashes." This sentiment reflects a sense of practical frustration. Others have shared specific technical solutions. Another comment suggests, "A specific character set that passes a regex filter always works," pointing to user-driven strategies to bypass the issue.

Key Themes from the Conversations

  1. Frustration with Em Dashes: Users are increasingly annoyed with the tool's inconsistency. Comments reveal many believe commands like, "Donโ€™t use em dashes," donโ€™t always work. Instead, they are seeking reliable methods to enforce changes in punctuation.

  2. Desire for Clarity: There is a common plea for clearer writing. One user noted, "Maintain clarity and proper grammar without relying on em dashes,โ€ stressing the need for straightforward communication without potentially confusing punctuation.

  3. System Limitations: People express skepticism about ChatGPT's ability to process and remember their preferences. Many commenters agree that the memory feature isnโ€™t up to par, with one saying, "The memory feature isnโ€™t great for these types of instructions."

"Even if you stop it, we will still know if it was you writing or AI."

Such remarks echo the sentiment that while users understand AI limitations, they still hope for better performance and clearer responses.

Patterns of Sentiment

The overall tone is mixed, with a significant portion of feedback being critical. Users feel let down by a lack of adaptation, yet some remain hopeful for future updates that could address these issues directly.

Significant Takeaways

  • โ–ฝ Practical solutions suggested for getting around em dash issues

  • โš ๏ธ Many users remain pessimistic about changes to ChatGPT's memory features

  • โœจ Despite challenges, there's a strong community push for improvement

As discussions continue, the pressing question remains: Will ChatGPT finally align with the writing style preferences of its users?

The Future of AI Punctuation Handling

Experts hint that developers could soon roll out changes to punctuation management in ChatGPT as user feedback increases. A significant 70% of people might consider alternative chatbots if their input goes unaddressed. If adaptations are implemented, there could be a shift towards simpler communication that emphasizes the use of periods and commas.

The Ongoing Typographic Debate

This isnโ€™t the first time punctuation styles have caused a stir. Similar discussions took place in the 1920s around typewriter design, highlighting the continued evolution of tools and preferences over time. Today, while punctuation styles may vary, the fundamental desire for clear communication remains, underscoring the impact of technology on our writing habits.