Today we will be discussing hyphens and when to use them between words.
If you are unsure about using a hyphen, it is best to look it up in an up-to-date
dictionary. Also, if you are writing within certain style guidelines, it is best to check
them as some styles have their own rules regarding hyphenation. However, here
are some simple guidelines to follow when deciding whether or not to use hyphens
in your writing.
Hyphens are most commonly used to connect compound modifiers that are
being used together to describe a noun. For example, in the sentence, “Little Chef is
a top-notch restaurant,” top and notch would be hyphenated because they, as
modifiers, are being used together to describe restaurant, a noun. However,
hyphenation is only necessary when the compound modifier comes right before the
noun in the sentence. For example, in the sentence, “The Little Chef restaurant is
top notch,” top and notch require no hyphenation because they fall after the noun
they modify.
Hyphens can also be used to clarify meaning. As an example, lets use the
sentence, “Jon may never recover.” When left as is, with no hyphenation, the
sentence means that Jon may never get better. But if we put a dash in between the
prefix re and cover, then Jon may never re-cover would mean that Jon may stay
uncovered.
Also, hyphens should be used when spelling out the numbers twenty-one
through ninety-nine. So, even in the number 3, 672, you would only hyphenate
seventy and two. As a side note, though, any number over ten does not usually need
to be spelled out.
Hyphens should be used when joining prefixes to words that are capitalized,
as in Anti-French, or Un-American. They should also be used when joining a letter
to a word as in x-ray or t-square.
Hyphens are a versatile tool and a good way to provide emphasis in your
writing. Be sure to check out our other podcasts for more tips on how to strengthen
your writing skills.