Grammar Notes:
Hyphens
Hyphens with Prefixes
• A hyphen is NOT ordinarily used to join a prefix
to a word. There are a few exceptions, however.
– Use a hyphen after any prefix joined to a proper
noun or a proper adjective.
• Examples:
–mid-Atlantic
post-Elizabethan
–Also, use a hyphen after the
prefixes all-, ex- (meaning
‘former’), and self- joined to any
noun or adjective.
• Examples:
–ex-coach
–self-confidence
–Use a hyphen after the prefix antiwhen it joins a word beginning with i.
Also use a hyphen after the prefix vice-,
EXCEPT in vice president.
• Examples:
–anti-icing
–vice-mayor
I HATE icing!!!
Use a hyphen to avoid confusion between words
beginning with re- that look alike but are
different in meaning and pronunciation.
• Examples:
–re-cover the couch vs. recover the couch
That new covering on the
couch looks lovely!
So THAT’S where
our couch was!
Hyphens with compounds and
numbers
• Use a hyphen in a compound adjective that
precedes a noun. In general, a compound
adjective that follows a noun is not
hyphenated.
–Examples:
• dark-green eyes vs. Her eyes are dark
green.
• fifteen-year-old aunt vs. Her aunt is
fifteen years old.
• Hyphenate any spelled-out
number up to ninety-nine.
–Examples: sixty-four
eighty-two
• Hyphenate a fraction that is expressed in
words.
Examples:
• one-eighth
• one-quarter
• one-half
• Hyphenate two numerals to indicate a
span.
Examples:
pages 30-56
1986-1996
HYPHENS!!!
PRACTICE
1. Twenty four
1. Twenty-four
2. Her coat is light-blue.
1. Her coat is light blue.
3. I read pages 4-73.
1. Correct!
1. I am anti instant pudding.
1. I am anti-instant pudding.
2. He wants to be vice-president.
1. He wants to be vice president.
3. I like the post-Victorian time period.
1. Correct!