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 hyphen is required in a compound word, but remember that current usage may have shifted since your dictionary was published.
In this post
What is the purpose of a hyphen in a sentence?
Hyphens connect two words to make a single word. Hyphens are also used to attach a prefix to a word. In some situations, hyphens connect adverbs and adjectives to describe a noun. This can be avoided by rewording the sentence.
Why do people use hyphen in text?
Hyphens’ main purpose is to glue words together. They notify the reader that two or more elements in a sentence are linked. Although there are rules and customs governing hyphens, there are also situations when writers must decide whether to add them for clarity.
What are 5 uses for a hyphen?
Using hyphens with prefixes
- Hyphenate prefixes before proper nouns.
- Use a hyphen with most words that begin with the prefix self-.
- Use a hyphen with words that begin with the prefix ex-.
- Use a hyphen with most words that begin with the prefix non-.
- Use a hyphen when the prefix ends in the same letter the word begins.
What are the six uses for a hyphen?
Hyphens have six uses: (1) To join the words in a compound adjective. (2) To join the words in a compound noun. (3) To join a prefix to a word.
What does hyphen mean in writing?
A hyphen (-) is a punctuation mark that’s used to join words or parts of words. It’s not interchangeable with other types of dashes. Use a hyphen in a compound modifier when the modifier comes before the word it’s modifying.
When should you hyphenate words?
Use a hyphen at the end of a line to divide a word where there is not enough space for the whole word. Follow the rules for dividing words correctly. Divide a word between syllables. Never divide a one-syllable word.
What is the effect of a hyphen?
Essentially, they’re used for dramatic effect. In other words, they make a more emphatic, abrupt break in a sentence than other punctuation marks. They can be used instead of a pair of commas for emphasis: She was confused by hyphens – those pesky little word-joiners – until she read today’s blog post.
Where do you put a hyphen?
Hyphen Use
- Use a hyphen to join two or more words serving as a single adjective before a noun:
- Use a hyphen with compound numbers:
- Use a hyphen to avoid confusion or an awkward combination of letters:
What is a dash example?
Dashes replace otherwise mandatory punctuation, such as the commas after Iowa and 2020 in the following examples: Without dash: The man from Ames, Iowa, arrived. With dash: The man—he was from Ames, Iowa—arrived.
What is a hyphenated word called?
Compound words can be written in three ways: as open compounds (spelled as two words, e.g., ice cream), closed compounds (joined to form a single word, e.g., doorknob), or hyphenated compounds (two words joined by a hyphen, e.g., long-term). Sometimes, more than two words can form a compound (e.g., mother-in-law).
How do you use dashes in writing?
Use dashes to mark the beginning and end of a series, which might otherwise get confused, with the rest of the sentence: Example: The three female characters—the wife, the nun, and the jockey—are the incarnation of excellence. Dashes are also used to mark the interruption of a sentence in dialogue: Example: “Help!
What are the 3 types of dashes?
There are actually three different types of dashes: the em-dash, the en-dash, and the 3-em dash.
How do you use a dash in a sentence?
A dash can be used to replace a colon that offers more information about something previously mentioned in the sentence. For example: She demanded just one thing from her students: effort. She demanded just one thing from her students — effort.
How many types of hyphens are there?
In writing, there are three different punctuation marks that most people refer to as dashes. These are the hyphen, the en dash, and the em dash.
What happens when you say hyphen 5 times?
Verdict: Fact. Saying “hyphen” five times using voice input crashes your iPhone, but there’s no need to worry; nothing else happens in the process.
How do you hyphenate two sentences?
Quick Use: Use a dash to connect independent clauses or to inerrupt a main clause in a way that creates dramatic effect. Dashes function in two ways: to signal interruptions in a sentence (basically like parentheses), and to connect independent clauses.
Is Top 5 hyphenated?
Hyphenate when top five is used as a compound modifier. Otherwise, no hyphen. Example; The University of Florida is a top-five public university.