When to use a hyphen

To use a hyphen or not to use a hyphen, this is the question! AKA a play on the famous words of Shakespeare from the famous play Hamlet. In all seriousness though, if your compound word is …

Use a hyphen when you’re using a two-word adjective (or compound modifier) that work as one adjective. The hyphen in such a case adds clarity to the fact that the adjectives are …The hyphen is not needed if the sentence is re-written, “Most beef found in supermarkets is not grass fed.” More examples:.They may schedule a follow-up with the teacher. If you use the expression in this way, it functions as a noun. A few dictionaries, such as the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, list followup, written as one word, as an alternative to follow-up with a hyphen. However, others such as Merriam-Webster list only follow-up as ...Jan 16, 2024 · Whether or not you use spaces around your em dashes (word—word or word — word) is a matter of style. Whichever style you choose, use it consistently throughout your document. Remember, em dashes are not interchangeable with hyphens. Using a single hyphen instead of an em dash can confuse readers and make your writing look unprofessional. Jan 14, 2021 · It depends. When a slash signifies alternatives between only two words, don’t use spaces before or after. When using slashes to signify alternatives between phrases or multi-word terms or compounds, a space before and after the slash makes text easier to read. Another time it’s acceptable to use a space after a slash is when breaking up ... Use a hyphen to separate the parts of a phone number: 555-1234. Use an en dash to represent a range of numbers: 2010–2015. Use an en dash to represent a range of dates: December 1–5, 2023. In Lists. Hyphens and dashes can also be used in lists to clarify relationships between items. Here are some examples: Use a hyphen to indicate a bullet ...[use a hyphen when the unit is spelled out] 2. She served the drinks in 16 oz. mugs. [Hyphens are never used between the numeral and abbreviation, even when in adjectival form. Use a period when abbreviating English units.] 3. The mugs could hold up to 16 ounces. [no hyphen as “16 ounces” is not used as an adjective here] 4.

We'll get to semicolons later. Colons (:) introduce clauses or phrases that serve to describe, amplify, or restate what precedes them. Often they are used to introduce a quote or a list that satisfies the previous statement. For example, this summary could be written as "Colons can introduce many things: descriptors, quotes, lists, and more."When to Use a Hyphen Hyphens are essential punctuation marks that help to clarify the meaning of words and phrases. Here are some instances when you should …The underscore key on an American or British keyboard layout is on the same key as the hyphen, and can be used by holding down one of the shift keys and pressing the hyphen key. It...Hyphens with the Prefix re. Many of us find hyphens confusing. The prefix re can make hyphenating even more of a head-scratching experience. However, there is really only one rule that you need to learn to determine when to hyphenate with re.. Rule: Use the hyphen with the prefix re only when re means again AND omitting the hyphen would cause …When to Use a Hyphen. The hyphen is a punctuation mark used between compound words and names or between the syllables or characters of a word. The hyphen generally acts to connect things together. We see it most in its role in connecting compounds. For instance, My older brother is a grown-up (compound word).To make a dash on the keyboard, you use the key to the right of the zero, like you do for a hyphen, but it’s a little more complicated. Option-shift-hyphen will create a dash on a Mac, while on ...Here, the hyphen after “five” shows that we mean “five-year and ten-year mortgages” but didn’t want to repeat “year.” This can also be done with closed compounds, such as in “under- and overground trains.” Note that we use a hyphen after “under” even though the full word would be “underground,” without a hyphen.They even enlisted a medium for a taste test. By clicking "TRY IT", I agree to receive newsletters and promotions from Money and its partners. I agree to Money's Terms of Use and P...

Grammar and punctuation can be tricky when you’re writing. If you’re not sure what all those dashes are or how to use them, this video clearly explains the differences between the ...Jan 16, 2024 · Whether or not you use spaces around your em dashes (word—word or word — word) is a matter of style. Whichever style you choose, use it consistently throughout your document. Remember, em dashes are not interchangeable with hyphens. Using a single hyphen instead of an em dash can confuse readers and make your writing look unprofessional. Here, the hyphen after “five” shows that we mean “five-year and ten-year mortgages” but didn’t want to repeat “year.” This can also be done with closed compounds, such as in “under- and overground trains.” Note that we use a hyphen after “under” even though the full word would be “underground,” without a hyphen.Sep 19, 2017 · 1. The MLA does not use an en dash for compound adjectives formed from lowercase open compounds and another word. Instead, we hyphen the entire compound: We do, however, use an en dash when a single compound adjective is a proper noun: When the multiword element is mixed case or includes a hyphenated term, we prefer to reword:

St. cloud mn restaurants.

May 1, 2018 ... Well, you use them all the time. They're basically phrases that are actions, such as 'warm up' and 'drop off'. When you're writing about the...Hyphenated Adjectives. Use a hyphen to connect two or more words that work together as one adjective before a noun. If the two words come after the noun, ...Jan 16, 2024 · The use of a hyphen in examples like “state-of-the-art features” or “dog-friendly hotel” shows this principle in action. However, when the modifying phrase follows the noun or includes an adverb in -ly, hyphens are generally not used. Compound modifiers involving numbers also follow this rule. Hyphens connect numbers and fractions when ... As a copy editor for nonfiction and history books, I’m struck by how many writers struggle with when to use hyphens and dashes.I get it. This isn’t easy stuff. I’ve already written about how to use en dashes and about how to use em dashes and the 2-em dash (omission dash) and 3-em dash.. Today, let’s look at hyphens. There is a lot to …Learn when to use a hyphen to connect two or more words that form one unit of sense. Find out the main guidelines for hyphenating compound adjectives, phrasal …But here's the big idea: hyphens join up words, while dashes separate sentences or clauses. So we use hyphens to make compound adjectives, things like 'the wind ...

Everything you need to know about valet car service right now. Valet car service can be a dependable service, especially for travelers who don’t want to deal with the hassle of par...Using hyphens. The main use of a hyphen is to join two or more words together. Sometimes a word needs a hyphen for it to be spelt correctly. For example: one-off. part-time. face-to-face. In some situations there are no hard and fast rules and the use of hyphens is a matter of personal preference. However, there are some guidelines on …You know that the queen died, but did you know how weird she was when she was alive? I’m Irish-American, so I should have disdain for the British monarchy from both sides of the hy... 2. Use hyphens with ages if the period of time is singular (not plural). I have a three-year-old child. She is three years old. Year is singular in the first sentence, so you should use a hyphen. Years is plural in the second sentence, so you do not use a hyphen. The only exception to this is if the unit of time is one. HTML authors must use the numeric forms ‒ or ‒ to type it unless the file is in Unicode; there is no equivalent character entity. If you want to use the correct dash or hyphen in Stack Exchange comments, just use the appropriate HTML entity: — for em-dash, – for en-dash, and − for the minus sign.Sep 5, 2023 · Let’s take a look at when to use a hyphen in a sentence and how you’ll go about adding one. 1) Hyphen with Compound Modifiers: Two-Word Adjectives Before Nouns. Use a hyphen to connect two words that are used as a single adjective before a noun. Examples: The well-adjusted student performed excellently on her exams. Grammatical Rules For Hyphen Usage. 1. Compound Words: One primary function of hyphens is to join compound words. When two or more words are combined to form a single concept or adjective, a hyphen is used to connect them. For example: Well-known. High-quality. Self-confidence. 2. Hello and welcome back to our regular morning look at private companies, public markets and the gray space in between. Today we’re working to figure something out, namely the trade...Don't use the word "from" or "to" if you're using a dash to show a range. If you're not using a dash, then you ... 10-12, 1967-1971). Dashes are used for this purpose. However, given that the hyphen is so easy to find on a keyboard, hyphens have become acceptable for ranges. Only a strict grammar pedant would chastise you for using a hyphen ...

Each publicly traded company that is listed on a stock exchange has a “ticker symbol” to identify it. These stock-symbol abbreviations consist mainly of letters, though in some cas...

Mar 11, 2022 · Hyphens are used to form compound words and divide words on line breaks. Learn how to use hyphens in a sentence with these examples and best practices. An en dash (–), the second-longest “dash,” is used to show how a range of things in writing are related to one another. An em dash (—), the longest “dash,” is used as a substitute for a comma, colon, semi-colon, or parentheses and emphasizes information. A hyphen (-) is the shortest “dash” and connects two words. Hyphen Examples. Hyphens are a common tool used to join words together in order to create hyphenated compounds, such as “mother-in-law” or “editor-in-chief”. Hyphens are also frequently used when writing out a number between twenty-one and ninety-nine, like forty-two. To hyphenate a word at the end of a line for readability purposes is ... A long hyphen, also known as an em dash or an em rule, is a punctuation mark that is longer than a regular hyphen or dash. It is represented by a horizontal line that spans the width of a character, typically the same width as the letter “m” in a given font. The long hyphen is used to indicate a pause, interruption, or emphasis in a sentence.Jan 15, 2018 ... Hyphens before capitals ... Always use a hyphen when you place a prefix onto a capitalised word: anti-American, sub-Saharan, neo-Nazi, post- ...Use an en dash for page ranges. Use an en dash, not a hyphen, for page ranges, e.g. 21–27. An en dash (–) is wider than a hyphen (-). Do not insert a space before or after the en dash. To add an en dash in Microsoft Word if you are using a full PC keyboard, hold the Control key and type the minus sign on the numeric keypad. Ctrl and -Jun 28, 2021 ... It is not necessary to add a hyphen when an adverb and adjective are used together. That's because modifying adjectives is one of an adverb's ...

Haircuts for men with thinning hair.

Intelligent standby list cleaner.

The use of a hyphen in examples like “state-of-the-art features” or “dog-friendly hotel” shows this principle in action. However, when the modifying phrase follows the noun or includes an adverb in -ly, hyphens are generally not used. Compound modifiers involving numbers also follow this rule. Hyphens connect numbers and fractions when ...Are you looking after a six-year-old, or a six year old? Knowing when to hyphenate ages can be tricky, but not impossible. Learn how to know the difference here.Hyphen: type the key just once and don't have any spaces on either side. single-sided (no spaces) Not: single - sided. Dash: type the key twice without spaces between words or between dashes. I'm coming to see you--don't forget. Not: I'm coming to see you - - don't forget!Punctuation is as important to your writing as your word choice, syntax, and structure. When any one of these elements is missing, you don’t have a coherent piece of writing—you have a word salad. Most kinds of salad are great, but word salad isn’t. Avoid serving up tossed-together words by becoming a punctuation pro.Example: There was a beautiful sunrise this morning. The bus stop is across the road. My mother-in-law doesn’t like strawberries. The hyphen is mostly used to form compound nouns. There are, however, a few other functions which are explained in the tabs below. Be careful not to confuse the hyphen with the dash, the hyphen is shorter.A hyphen (-) is a punctuation mark that’s used to join words or parts of words. Learn the rules and examples of how to use a hyphen correctly in compound modifiers, numbers, fractions, and more. Find out when to use a hyphen and when not …Hyphen. For most writers, the hyphen’s primary function is the formation of certain compound terms. The hyphen is also used for word division, which is briefly explained here. Never use a hyphen in place of an en dash or an em dash. Compound terms. Compound terms are those that consist of more than one word but represent a single item or idea.Use a hyphen to separate the parts of a phone number: 555-1234. Use an en dash to represent a range of numbers: 2010–2015. Use an en dash to represent a range of dates: December 1–5, 2023. In Lists. Hyphens and dashes can also be used in lists to clarify relationships between items. Here are some examples: Use a hyphen to indicate a bullet ...Don’t break short words over a line, especially: words of fewer than 6 letters. one-syllable words. 2-syllable words. Break words between syllables so that the hyphen: is between 2 components of a compound word (for example, ‘data-base’) is between the base word and the suffix or prefix (for example, ‘neat-ness’) comes before a ...Generally, hyphens are used to join two words or parts of words together while avoiding confusion or ambiguity. Consult your dictionary if you are not sure if a ... The hyphen is also found in serial numbers, and social security or engine numbers. If you're measuring something, you might also use the hyphen (foot-pound, kilowatt-hour, column-inch, light-year), or if you are talking about periods of time ("pre-2000" or "post-2000," or "post-20th/twentieth century"). ….

Jun 28, 2021 ... It is not necessary to add a hyphen when an adverb and adjective are used together. That's because modifying adjectives is one of an adverb's ... The hyphen is also found in serial numbers, and social security or engine numbers. If you're measuring something, you might also use the hyphen (foot-pound, kilowatt-hour, column-inch, light-year), or if you are talking about periods of time ("pre-2000" or "post-2000," or "post-20th/twentieth century"). Jan 19, 2016 · A hyphen (-) is a punctuation mark used to connect two or more words or parts of words that form one unit of sense. Learn the main guidelines for using hyphens correctly, such as when to hyphenate compound adjectives, phrasal verbs, and nouns, and how to avoid common mistakes. Learn how to style compound words as open, hyphenated, or closed, and when to use a hyphen in different contexts. Find out the history and fluidity of compound word styles, …The underscore key on an American or British keyboard layout is on the same key as the hyphen, and can be used by holding down one of the shift keys and pressing the hyphen key. It...Jan 15, 2018 ... Hyphens before capitals ... Always use a hyphen when you place a prefix onto a capitalised word: anti-American, sub-Saharan, neo-Nazi, post- ...When to Use Semicolons (;) A semicolon is used to separate two ideas (two independent clauses) that are closely related. They can also be used when listing complex ideas or phrases that use commas within them. Essentially, a semicolon is like a comma with more meaning or a colon with more flexibility.The semicolon is the colon's quirkier sibling. While the colon is simply two dots stacked : the semicolon is a dot hovering over a comma ; The semicolon does jobs that are also done by other punctuation marks, but puts its own spin on the task. Like a comma, it can separate elements in a series. Like a period or colon, it often marks the end of ... When to use a hyphen, [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1]