1. Writing Lab
Hyphens

2. 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).

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

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

7. 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