Why are hyphens used in writing

Here are a few examples of common hyphenated compound words:. Hyphenated words tend to become closed compounds single words with no hyphens over time. Email instead of e-mail , for example, is increasingly common.

Notebook Superman Waistcoat Bookstore Fireman. Open compounds are typically made up of two nouns that are used together to represent a single idea. A good dictionary is the best place to check whether a compound is open or not. Living room Real estate Dinner table Coffee mug.

When numbers are used as the first part of a compound adjective, use a hyphen to connect them to the noun that follows them. This way, the reader knows that both words function like a unit to modify another noun. This applies whether the number is written in words or in digits. The president of the company gave a minute speech to the Board of Directors. He is knowledgeable in thirteenth-century politics. The boy threw a rock at the second-story window. He is a victim of Type 2 diabetes.

When using a fraction e. I half-wanted to commit a felony. A quarter-million dollars is still a large amount of money. Lying on the floor beside the plant he had knocked over and chewed on, the cat looked extremely self-satisfied. Do you want a self-serve or a full-serve gas station? The self serves no other. Em dashes are also used to indicate that a sentence is unfinished because the speaker has been interrupted.

Similarly, they can be used in place of an ellipsis to illustrate an instance where a sentence is stopped short because the speaker is too emotional to continue.

En dashes are used to demonstrate definite ranges of values. In these cases, there should not be any spaces around the en dash. The en dash can also be used to contrast values, or illustrate a relationship between two things. There are no spaces around the en dashes in these instances. An exception to the use of en dashes is made, however, when combined with an already hyphenated compound. In these cases, using an en dash is distracting. Use a hyphen instead.

When he saw his brother—his long-lost brother who disappeared six years prior—he broke down in tears. Privacy Policy. Skip to main content. Overview of English Grammar: Punctuation and Mechanics. Search for:. Hyphens and Dashes. Hyphens Hyphens are often used to connect two words into a single term. This is called a compound adjective. Examples: an off-campus apartment state-of-the-art design. However, some established compound adjectives are always hyphenated. Double-check with a dictionary or online.

Rule 1b. Use suspended hyphens when two or more compound adjectives come before the noun they modify. Example: We offer the finest protective equipment, including latex- and phthalate-free gloves. Incorrect: You can expect a three-four-week delay in processing.

Correct: You can expect a three- to four-week delay in processing. Rule 2a. A hyphen is frequently required when forming original compound verbs for vivid writing, humor, or special situations. Examples: The slacker video-gamed his way through life. Queen Victoria throne-sat for six decades. Rule 2b. When writing out new, original, or unusual compound nouns, writers should hyphenate whenever doing so avoids confusion.

Examples: I changed my diet and became a no-meater. No-meater is too confusing without the hyphen. The slacker was a video gamer. Video gamer is clear without a hyphen, although some writers might prefer to hyphenate it.

Writers using familiar compound verbs and nouns should consult a dictionary or look online to decide if these verbs and nouns should be hyphenated. Rule 3. An often overlooked rule for hyphens: The adverb very and adverbs ending in ly are not hyphenated.

Incorrect: the very-elegant watch Incorrect: the finely-tuned watch. This rule applies only to adverbs. The following two examples are correct because the ly words are not adverbs:. Correct: the friendly-looking dog Correct: a family-owned cafe. Rule 4. Hyphens are often used to tell the ages of people and things. A handy rule, whether writing about years, months, or any other period of time, is to use hyphens unless the period of time years, months, weeks, days is written in plural form:.

With hyphens: We have a two-year-old child. We have a two-year-old. No hyphens: The child is two years old. Because years is plural. Exception: The child is one year old. Or day, week, month , etc. Note that when hyphens are involved in expressing ages, two hyphens are required. Many writers forget the second hyphen:. Rule 5. Never hesitate to add a hyphen if it solves a possible problem.

Following are two examples of well-advised hyphens:. Confusing: Springfield has little town charm. With hyphen: Springfield has little-town charm. Without the hyphen, the sentence seems to say that Springfield is a dreary place. With the hyphen, little-town becomes a compound adjective, making the writer's intention clear: Springfield is a charming small town.

Confusing: She had a concealed weapons permit. With hyphen: She had a concealed-weapons permit. With no hyphen, we can only guess: Was the weapons permit hidden from sight, or was it a permit for concealed weapons? The hyphen makes concealed-weapons a compound adjective, so the reader knows that the writer meant a permit for concealed weapons.

Rule 6. When using numbers, hyphenate spans or estimates of time, distance, or other quantities. Remember not to use spaces around hyphens. Examples: p. Note: Most publishers use the slightly longer en dash instead of a hyphen in this situation. Examples: — p.