Writing Lab Hyphens

Hyphen Use The hyphen is most commonly used to separate a word that is divided by the right hand margin, but a hyphen also has the following conventional uses: To separate the parts of a compound modifier or multiword adjective when the modifier/ adjective precedes the word that it modifies (e.g. “When he is out of town, he uses out-of-town checks.”). To separate compounds of equal weight (e.g. male- female relationships).

Hyphen Use cont. To set off prefixes of words beginning with the prefixes well-, all-, self-, and ex- (e.g. “all-purpose,” “ex-wife,” “well-informed,” and “self-centered”). To set off some compound nouns (e.g. “mother-in- law”) or to set off prefixes before a proper noun or adjective (e.g. “all-American”). To separate numbers from twenty-one to ninety- nine and fractions such as two-thirds.

Exceptions to the Hyphen Do not hyphenate words that begin with the prefixes pre-, un-, re-, inter-, non-, multi-, bi-, semi-, up-, over-, and intra (e.g. “preschool,” “rearrange,” “overworked,” “intercollegiate,” “multicultural,” “bipartisan,” nonviolent, bipartisan, and “semisweet”). Occasionally, hyphens are used to avoid confusion (e.g. “re-solve” instead of “resolve”). Consult a dictionary when you’re in doubt.

Let’s Practice! Incorrect: Air traffic was so dense that afternoon that air traffic control could hardly cope. Correct: Air traffic was so dense that afternoon that air- traffic control could hardly cope. Incorrect: Nancy’s exhusband is an antifeminist. Correct: Nancy’s ex-husband is an antifeminist. Incorrect: My mother in law works for a quasi official corporation that does two thirds of its business with the government. Correct: My mother-in-law works for a quasi-official corporation that does two-thirds of its business with the government.

Hyphens and Dashes Remember to differentiate between a hyphen and a dash. Hyphen (to separate words) – DASH (to separate sentences) --

That’s all, folks! This lesson is part of the UWF Writing Lab Grammar Mini-Lesson Series Lessons adapted from Real Good Grammar, Too by Mamie Webb Hixon To find out more, visit the Writing Lab’s website where you can take a self-scoring quiz corresponding to this lesson