Mastering Interruptions and the Double Dash (--) in Transcription

One of the most important — and most commonly misunderstood — punctuation tools in legal transcription is the double dash (--). Unlike single dashes, commas, or semicolons, the double dash has one job and one job only:

➡️ The double dash shows that speech has been interrupted.

Whether the speaker is interrupted by another person, interrupts themselves, changes direction mid-sentence, or begins speaking again after being cut off, the double dash is your signal that the flow of speech has broken.

Understanding this rule is essential if you’re preparing for the Legal Prequalification Exam or want to create clean, accurate transcripts that match professional standards.

This guide breaks down everything you need to know about interruptions, broken speech, continuations, and how to correctly use the double dash (--) in every scenario.

What Is a Double Dash?

A double dash looks like this:

--

It appears attached to the last full word spoken before the interruption, and it always has a space after it before the next word (unless the interruption is part of a quote, which is handled slightly differently).

In transcription, the double dash is never decorative. It always signals something very specific:

✔️ Speech was interrupted

✔️ A speaker cut themselves off

✔️ Someone else jumped in

✔️ Audio was cut off mid-thought

✔️ The speaker continued their thought later

If the speaker stops abruptly — for ANY reason — you use a double dash.

Why the Double Dash Matters

Legal transcription isn’t storytelling. You’re not allowed to “smooth out” speech or make it sound pretty. You have to preserve what actually happened.

If someone is cut off, the transcript must show it.

The double dash shows:

A thought was incomplete
A question was interrupted
A sentence changed direction
One speaker talked over another
Speech abruptly dropped off

And this kind of accuracy matters because interruptions can carry meaning in legal proceedings.

Rule 1: Use Double Dashes When a Speaker Is Interrupted by Someone Else

This is the most straightforward use of the double dash.

When a person is cut off mid-sentence by another speaker, place a double dash at the exact point where their speech stops.

Example from the style guide:

A: I think I was there around--
Q: Please give an exact time.
A: --5:00 PM. Okay, it was 4:45.

Let’s break down what’s happening:

The A speaker got interrupted mid-sentence.
His line ends with a double dash, showing he didn’t finish the thought.
When he resumes, his next line begins with a double dash, showing continuation of the interrupted thought.

This is an essential pattern to master.

Rule 2: Use a Double Dash When the Speaker Interrupts Themselves

Sometimes a speaker changes their mind mid-sentence or corrects themselves suddenly. This is also an interruption — caused by the speaker — and must be marked with a double dash.

Example:

Q: Now, let me ask you this: do-- did-- do you recall the time that happened?

Each time the speaker stops the word “do” and restarts it, the double dash marks a false start or self-interruption.

This shows:

The speaker began saying “do”
Then stopped
Then corrected to “did”
Then interrupted again

This is different from a stutter (which is cleaned in CVL), because these are full-word false starts, not partial syllables.

Rule 3: Use Double Dashes for Quote Interruptions

Quotes can also be interrupted by other speakers. In that case, the double dash belongs inside the quotation marks.

Example from the guide:

Q: You stated that he said, "I'll bring you the documents--"
A: Yes, he did.
Q: "--on Friday afternoon."

Why this matters:

The witness interrupted the quoted sentence by speaking.
The quote is resumed in the next line.
Each part of the quote gets its own set of quotation marks.
The interruption is shown inside the quote.

This is extremely common in depositions.

Rule 4: Use Double Dashes When a Speaker Trails Off Mid-Thought and Then Continues Later

If the speaker trails off briefly — not due to stuttering or mumbling, but because they pause and then continue that same thought — the double dash signals the break.

Example from the guide:

A: So I last saw Amy around--
Q: Okay.
A: --summertime, but we--
Q: Right.
A: --didn’t live together until later.

Every time the speaker returns to their interrupted thought, they start their line with --.

Rule 5: Use Double Dashes Instead of [inaudible] When Speech Trails Off or Gets Lost in Crosstalk

Your guide says:

Do NOT use [inaudible] when someone trails off
Do NOT use [inaudible] during heavy crosstalk
Use double dashes instead

This rule is essential:
The double dash shows incomplete speech, but does NOT assume missing words.

Example:

A: All I was saying was that she--
Q: Sorry, you trailed off for a moment. What was that?

Double dash = speech stopped.
[inaudible] = words existed but could not be understood.

Only use [inaudible] when actual speech is present but impossible to decipher.

**Rule 6: Do Not Use Double Dashes at the Beginning of a Sentence Unless It Continues a Cut-Off Thought**

You do not begin a brand-new sentence with a double dash.

A double dash at the start only appears when the speaker is resuming an interrupted thought that started earlier.

✔ Correct:

A: I was going to the store--
Q: What store?
A: --Walmart. On 5th Street.

❌ Incorrect:

A: --Walmart is a big store.
(Brand new sentence → NO double dash)

Rule 7: Never Use a Double Dash for Partial Words, Stutters, or Thinking Sounds

Those are removed in CVL (clean verbatim) unless they're full words.

Double dash is only for:

full-word interruptions
complete cut-offs
speech collisions
mid-sentence restarts

It is NOT for:

“sh-sh-she”
“um”
“uh”
“t-t-today”

Those follow separate rules.

Rule 8: A Double Dash Always Attaches to the Word Before It

No spaces on the left.


Correct: I was thinking-- maybe we should…
Incorrect: I was thinking -- maybe we should…
Incorrect: I was thinking --maybe we should…

Spacing matters.

Rule 9: Never Use a Double Dash to Show a Pause

Pauses are not marked with punctuation in CVL unless:

they change meaning
they interrupt a clause
they signal cut-off speech

Speakers pause all the time. You cannot mark it unless speech is genuinely broken.

Multiple Examples of Correct Double Dash Usage

Example 1: Self-Interruption

A: I told her we should-- well, I thought we should wait.

Example 2: Crosstalk

A: And then I said--
B: Hold on. Let me stop you there.

Example 3: Returning to a Thought

A: So the meeting was around--
Q: Around what time?
A: --3:00 PM.

Example 4: Interruption Inside Dialogue

Q: What did he say?
A: He said, “I’m not going to--”
Q: Did he finish the sentence?
A: “--talk about that today.”

Example 5: Change of Direction

A: I think the accident happened around-- wait. No. It was earlier.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Using a single dash instead of a double dash

Single dash = inserted information
Double dash = interruption

❌ Putting a space before the double dash

Never.

❌ Using the double dash to mark hesitation

Hesitations are removed in CVL.

❌ Putting punctuation after the double dash

You can only place punctuation before it.

❌ Using it to add dramatic effect

Not allowed. Ever.

Why the Double Dash Is Essential in Legal Transcription

Interruptions can show:

Disagreement
Emotional reactions
Loss of train of thought
Key moments where testimony breaks
Moments when one attorney disrupts another
Important procedural problems
Difficulties with technology or audio

Leaving out double dashes removes important context that courts rely on.

Accurate use of interruptions is not optional—it's mandatory.