{"id":16520,"date":"2016-01-19T17:25:53","date_gmt":"2016-01-19T16:25:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.se\/?p=16520\/?p=16520"},"modified":"2023-10-20T10:39:41","modified_gmt":"2023-10-20T08:39:41","slug":"hyphens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/language-rules\/hyphens\/","title":{"rendered":"Hyphen (-) | Rules of Correct Punctuation"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>A <strong>hyphen (-) <\/strong>is a <a href=index-1771.html>punctuation<\/a> mark used to connect two or more words (or parts of words) to show that they form one unit of sense\u2014e.g., \u201cfast-paced,\u201d \u201cshake-up,\u201d \u201cfour-year-old,\u201d \u201cpost-punk.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mistakes with hyphens are very common: leaving them out when they\u2019re needed, adding them when they\u2019re unnecessary, or putting them in the wrong place. This is mainly because the same series of words may be hyphenated or not depending on the role it plays in a sentence.<\/p>\n<p>This table covers the main guidelines for using hyphens correctly, which are then explained in more detail below.<\/p>\n<table class=\"kb-table bordered vertical-borders\">\n<caption>Rules of hyphenation<\/caption>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Hyphenate \u2026<\/th>\n<th>Don\u2019t hyphenate \u2026<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Compound adjectives that come before the noun: \u201c<strong>well-known<\/strong> rules\u201d<\/td>\n<td>Compound adjectives that appear after the noun: \u201cThe rules are <strong>well known<\/strong>.\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Phrasal verbs used as nouns: \u201cThere\u2019s been a<strong> break-in<\/strong>!\u201d<\/td>\n<td>Phrasal verbs used as verbs: \u201cThe burglar <strong>broke in <\/strong>through the skylight.\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Some compound nouns, especially if more than two words (check a dictionary): \u201c<strong>brother-in-law<\/strong>,\u201d \u201c<strong>jack-of-all-trades<\/strong>\u201d<\/td>\n<td>Most compound nouns: \u201c<strong>high school<\/strong>,\u201d \u201c<strong>business owner<\/strong>,\u201d \u201c<strong>apple pie<\/strong>\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Prefixes connected with a numeral or capitalized word, or to avoid confusion with another word: \u201c<strong>pre-<\/strong>Columbian,\u201d \u201c<strong>mid-<\/strong>1960s,\u201d \u201c<strong>re-<\/strong>pair\u201d (meaning \u201cpair again\u201d)<\/td>\n<td>Other prefixes generally: \u201c<strong>pre<\/strong>date,\u201d \u201c<strong>mid<\/strong>century,\u201d \u201c<strong>re<\/strong>pair\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left yellow\"><figcaption>Note<\/figcaption>A hyphen is not the same as an en dash (\u2013) or em dash (\u2014), both of which are <a href=index.html#dash\">used differently<\/a>.<\/figure>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"when\">When to use a hyphen<\/h2>\n<p>A series of two or more words joined by hyphens is called a <strong>hyphenated compound<\/strong>. It\u2019s one of three types of <a href=index-4031.html>compound words<\/a>, along with open compounds (written with spaces between the words: \u201chigh school\u201d) and closed compounds (with no spaces or punctuation: \u201cfreshwater\u201d).<\/p>\n<p>Whether a specific compound should be hyphenated or not often depends on its grammatical role in the sentence. For example, \u201clong term\u201d isn\u2019t hyphenated when it\u2019s used as a noun (\u201cin the <strong>long term<\/strong>, we \u2026\u201d) but it is when it\u2019s used as an adjective modifying the noun that follows (\u201c<strong>long-term<\/strong> considerations\u201d).<\/p>\n<p>The point of hyphenation is to show that two words are connected, especially when they might otherwise be read as separate concepts.<\/p>\n<table class=\"kb-table bordered vertical-borders\">\n<caption>Hyphenation and meaning<\/caption>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Example<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Meaning<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>The Quaker religion has a <strong>long standing <\/strong><strong>tradition<\/strong> in its worship services.<\/td>\n<td>A tradition of standing for a long time<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Lighting candles is a <strong>long-standing tradition<\/strong>.<\/td>\n<td>A tradition that has existed for a long time<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>The hyphenation of specific word combinations changes over time, tending to move from open compound to hyphenated compound to closed compound as the term becomes more established (e.g., \u201cto day,\u201d \u201cto-day,\u201d \u201ctoday\u201d). The guidance on specific points can also vary between style guides.<\/p>\n<p>There are several main contexts in which hyphenation may be needed:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><a href=index.html#adjectives\">Compound adjectives<\/a><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><a href=index.html#nouns\">Phrasal verbs used as nouns<\/a><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><a href=index.html#compound\">Some compound nouns<\/a><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><a href=index.html#prefixes-suffixes\">Some prefixes and suffixes<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"adjectives\">Hyphenating compound adjectives<\/h2>\n<p>A <a href=index-4032.html#compound\"><strong>compound adjective<\/strong><\/a> is a series of two or more words that is used to describe a <a href=index-3522.html>noun<\/a>. The individual words aren\u2019t necessarily adjectives, but they collectively function as an adjective. The hyphenation of these phrases depends on their position in the sentence.<\/p>\n<p>When a compound adjective appears in the <strong>attributive <\/strong>position (<strong>before <\/strong>the noun it modifies), it should be hyphenated. Make sure to hyphenate all the words that are part of the adjective\u2014and not to hyphenate the noun itself.<\/p>\n<p>When a compound adjective appears in the <strong>predicative <\/strong>position (<strong>after <\/strong>the noun, normally connected by a <a href=index-4033.html>linking verb<\/a>), it is typically not hyphenated. It may also be rephrased to read more clearly (e.g., \u201cfirst-person narration\u201d vs. \u201cnarration in the first person\u201d).<\/p>\n<table class=\"kb-table bordered vertical-borders\">\n<caption>Hyphenating compound adjectives<\/caption>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Attributive<\/th>\n<th>Predicative or other phrasing<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>The VP for development, a <strong>well-respected<\/strong> economist, oversees the <strong>London-based<\/strong> company\u2019s <strong>fast-paced<\/strong> expansion.<\/td>\n<td>The VP is <strong>well respected<\/strong>, and her area of responsibility is <strong>fast paced<\/strong>. The company is <strong>based in London<\/strong>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>The <strong>low-profile<\/strong> activities of the agency have a huge influence on<strong> modern-day <\/strong>international politics.<\/td>\n<td>In the <strong>modern day<\/strong>, John keeps a <strong>low profile<\/strong>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>For <strong>long-term<\/strong> operations, <strong>up-to-date <\/strong>records are essential.<\/td>\n<td>Databases should be kept <strong>up to date<\/strong>. Accurate records are important in the<strong> long term<\/strong>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3 id=\"participles\">Compounds with participles<\/h3>\n<p>There is some disagreement between style guides about the hyphenation of compound adjectives that consist of an adjective or noun followed by a verb <a href=index-4034.html>participle<\/a>. This includes both <a href=index-4035.html>past<\/a> (e.g., \u201cpacked,\u201d \u201cproven,\u201d \u201cfilled\u201d) and <a href=index-4036.html>present participles<\/a> (e.g., \u201clooking,\u201d \u201cinspiring\u201d).<\/p>\n<p>American style guides like <a href=index-1780.html>Chicago<\/a> and <a href=index-1778.html>APA<\/a> recommend hyphenating these combinations <strong>only when they are attributive<\/strong> and leaving them open otherwise (as with \u201cfast paced\u201d in the example from the previous section).<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, British style authorities like Oxford tend to recommend <strong>always hyphenating<\/strong> this type of compound. In the previous example, Oxford style would recommend writing \u201cher area of responsibility is <strong>fast-paced<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n<table class=\"kb-table bordered vertical-borders\">\n<caption>Compounds with participles<\/caption>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>US style<\/th>\n<th>UK style<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Sanjay was very <strong>good looking<\/strong> but not especially <strong>quick witted<\/strong>.<\/td>\n<td>Sanjay was very <strong>good-looking<\/strong> but not especially <strong>quick-witted<\/strong>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>The view is <strong>awe inspiring<\/strong>.<\/td>\n<td>The view is <strong>awe-inspiring<\/strong>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3 id=\"exception\">Exception: Adverbs ending in \u201c-ly\u201d<\/h3>\n<p>Style guides tend to agree on one clear exception to the rule of hyphenating compound adjectives before the noun. When the first word of the compound is an <a href=index-3567.html><strong>adverb<\/strong><\/a><strong> ending in \u201c-ly,\u201d<\/strong> <strong>no hyphen is needed<\/strong>. This applies whether the phrase appears before or after the noun.<\/p>\n<p>The logic behind this exception is that no ambiguity is possible in such cases: the \u201c-ly\u201d ending already identifies the word as an adverb that will modify the following word, so adding a hyphen would be redundant.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"kb-errorlist\">\n<li aria-level=\"1\">This is a <span class=\"highlight-red\">highly-paid<\/span> position at a company that is <span class=\"highlight-red\">widely-renowned<\/span> for its growth and vision.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\" class=\"check\">This is a <span class=\"highlight-green\">highly paid<\/span> position at a company that is <span class=\"highlight-green\">widely renowned<\/span> for its growth and vision.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Note that the exception doesn\u2019t apply to other adverbs that don\u2019t end in \u201c-ly\u201d (e.g., \u201c<strong>well-read <\/strong>students\u201d).<\/p>\n<p>A similar exception generally applies to compounds starting with \u201cmore,\u201d \u201cmost,\u201d \u201cless,\u201d \u201cleast,\u201d \u201cfewer,\u201d \u201cfewest,\u201d and \u201cvery.\u201d In most cases, there\u2019s no need to hyphenate these (e.g., \u201cmost valued,\u201d \u201cless important,\u201d \u201cvery happy\u201d). Do so only if there is some risk of confusion.<\/p>\n<table class=\"kb-table bordered vertical-borders\">\n<caption>Hyphenating to clarify meaning<\/caption>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Example<\/th>\n<th>Meaning<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>The book with the <strong>most favorable reviews<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>\u201cMost\u201d and \u201cfavorable\u201d both separately modify \u201creviews.\u201d The book has the highest number of favorable reviews.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>The book with the <strong>most-favorable reviews<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>\u201cMost\u201d modifies \u201cfavorable.\u201d The book has the reviews (any number) that are the most favorable.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2 id=\"phrasal\">Phrasal verbs used as nouns<\/h2>\n<p>A <a href=index-4037.html><strong>phrasal verb<\/strong><\/a> is a phrase consisting of two or more words (often a <a href=index-3523.html>verb<\/a> and a <a href=index-3572.html>preposition<\/a>) that functions collectively as a verb (i.e., describes an action or process). Examples include \u201clog in,\u201d \u201cgo ahead,\u201d \u201cstart up,\u201d and \u201clook out for.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>These phrases are written without hyphens when used as verbs, but many of them are also commonly used as nouns with related meanings. When used as nouns, they are always either hyphenated or (if particularly well established) written as one word (e.g., \u201clogin\u201d).<\/p>\n<table class=\"kb-table bordered vertical-borders\">\n<caption>Phrasal verbs used as nouns<\/caption>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Phrasal verbs<\/th>\n<th>Used as nouns<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>The supervisor told him to <strong>go ahead <\/strong>with the experiment.<\/td>\n<td>We got the <strong>go-ahead <\/strong>on the project.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>The project will <strong>start up <\/strong>tomorrow.<\/td>\n<td>The <strong>startup <\/strong>has only nine employees.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>I don\u2019t think I\u2019ll be able to <strong>catch up<\/strong> to first place.<\/td>\n<td>We\u2019re playing <strong>catch-up <\/strong>with our competitors.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>The government <strong>bailed out <\/strong>the bank.<\/td>\n<td>The <strong>bailout <\/strong>was controversial.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Don\u2019t write phrasal verbs with a hyphen or as a single word when they are used as verbs. They should be written as separate words in such cases:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"kb-errorlist\">\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Please <span class=\"highlight-red\">go-ahead<\/span> and <span class=\"highlight-red\">setup<\/span> your account.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\" class=\"check\">Please <span class=\"highlight-green\">go ahead<\/span> and <span class=\"highlight-green\">set up<\/span> your account.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left yellow\"><figcaption>Note<\/figcaption>The opposite principle tends to apply when a normally open compound noun (e.g., \u201cmachine gun,\u201d \u201csweet talk\u201d) is used as a verb or adjective: it typically becomes hyphenated (e.g., \u201cto machine-gun,\u201d \u201cto sweet-talk\u201d).<\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"nouns\">Hyphenating compound nouns<\/h2>\n<p>The majority of <strong>compound nouns <\/strong>are written as <a href=index-4038.html#open\">open compounds<\/a> with spaces between the words (e.g., \u201chigh school,\u201d \u201chouse party,\u201d \u201cstudent nurse\u201d).<\/p>\n<p>Some well-established compound nouns are always written as <a href=index-4038.html#closed\">closed compounds<\/a> (e.g., \u201cshipbuilding,\u201d \u201cschoolteacher\u201d). And some, especially those consisting of a phrase of three or more words, are always <a href=index-4038.html#hyphenated\">hyphenated<\/a> (e.g., \u201cmother-in-law\u201d).<\/p>\n<p>Check out the examples below, and check a dictionary if you\u2019re unsure how to write a specific term. If you can\u2019t find a compound noun in the dictionary, write it with spaces by default.<\/p>\n<table class=\"kb-table bordered vertical-borders\">\n<caption>Compound nouns: Open, hyphenated, or closed<\/caption>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Open compounds<\/th>\n<th>Hyphenated compounds<\/th>\n<th>Closed compounds<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>artificial intelligence, attorney general, common sense, French fries, high school, house party, living room, roller coaster, search engine, theme park, walking stick<\/td>\n<td>jack-of-all-trades, know-it-all, man-of-war, merry-go-round, runner-up, sister-in-law, stick-in-the-mud, well-being<\/td>\n<td>backpack, boyfriend, breakfast, bypass, checkout, cheesecake, highway, newborn, payout, peanut, smartphone, weekend, wherewithal<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left yellow\"><figcaption>Note<\/figcaption>Style guides sometimes recommend hyphenating normally open compound nouns when they are used <a href=index-4039.html#attributive-nouns\">attributively<\/a>\u2014as adjectives before another noun. There\u2019s very little consistency about this, though: in practice, you\u2019re much more likely to see it written \u201chigh school students\u201d than \u201chigh-school students.\u201d<\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"prefixes-suffixes\">Prefixes and suffixes<\/h2>\n<p>A <strong>prefix <\/strong>is a term like \u201cpre-,\u201d \u201cnon-,\u201d or \u201cco-\u201d that is added to the start of a word to alter its meaning. A <strong>suffix<\/strong> is the same thing but added to the end of a word (e.g., \u201c-less,\u201d \u201c-able,\u201d \u201c-gram\u201d).<\/p>\n<p>In the vast majority of cases, words formed with prefixes or suffixes should be written as a single word, without hyphens (e.g., \u201c<strong>trans<\/strong>gender,\u201d \u201c<strong>non<\/strong>negotiable,\u201d \u201cfaith<strong>less<\/strong>,\u201d \u201ccat<strong>like<\/strong>\u201d).<\/p>\n<p>There are a few cases where style guides normally recommend adding a hyphen, shown in the table below. If none of these situations applies, assume that no hyphen is needed.<\/p>\n<table class=\"kb-table bordered vertical-borders\">\n<caption>Hyphens with prefixes and suffixes<\/caption>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Use a hyphen \u2026<\/th>\n<th>Examples<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>With the prefix \u201cself-\u201d<\/td>\n<td>self-aware, self-serving, self-sustaining<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>To separate two of the same vowel, repeated prefixes, or other letter combinations that could easily be misread<\/td>\n<td>anti-intellectual, de-emphasize, meta-analysis, pro-life, sub-subentry, un-unionized<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>To attach a prefix to a numeral or capitalized word<\/td>\n<td>post-1968, sub-Saharan, un-American<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>To avoid confusion with another word<\/td>\n<td>co-op, re-form, re-cover (different from \u201ccoop,\u201d \u201creform,\u201d and \u201crecover\u201d)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>To add a prefix to a term that already consists of multiple words<\/td>\n<td>mid-first-century, non-self-sustaining, semi-self-obsessed<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>When a suffix is used in a new or unusual combination (not listed in the dictionary)<\/td>\n<td>briefcase-less, pigeon-proof, TikTok-able<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Note that prefixes and suffixes can\u2019t stand on their own as individual words, so there should <strong>not <\/strong>be a space between a prefix or suffix and the word it modifies.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"kb-errorlist\">\n<li aria-level=\"1\">In the <span class=\"highlight-red\">post war<\/span> period, <span class=\"highlight-red\">re construction<\/span> efforts seemed <span class=\"highlight-red\">end less<\/span>.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\" class=\"check\">In the <span class=\"highlight-green\">postwar<\/span> period, <span class=\"highlight-green\">reconstruction<\/span> efforts seemed <span class=\"highlight-green\">endless<\/span>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"mistake\">Common mistake: Hyphenation of ages<\/h2>\n<p>People are often unsure how to hyphenate phrases used to describe age, such as \u201cfour-year-old.\u201d Keep in mind the following rules to get it right.<\/p>\n<table class=\"kb-table bordered vertical-borders\">\n<caption>Rules of hyphenating ages<\/caption>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>When the phrase is used <strong>as a noun,<\/strong> <strong>hyphenate<\/strong>.<\/td>\n<td>The <strong>seven-year-old<\/strong> greeted me.<\/p>\n<p>Not many <strong>75-year-olds<\/strong> can run a marathon.<\/p>\n<p>You can\u2019t leave a <strong>six-month-old<\/strong> to fend for herself!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>When the phrase is used <strong>as an adjective before a noun, hyphenate<\/strong>.<\/td>\n<td>Mary\u2019s <strong>seven-year-old<\/strong> son greeted me.<\/p>\n<p>A <strong>75-year-old<\/strong> woman is competing!<\/p>\n<p>A <strong>six-month-old <\/strong>infant is highly dependent on its parents.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>When the phrase is used <strong>as an adjective after the noun, do not hyphenate<\/strong>. Note that the unit of time is pluralized in such cases (e.g., \u201cyears\u201d), unless the number is one.<\/td>\n<td>The child is <strong>one year old<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The winner was <strong>75 years old<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>My daughter is <strong>six months old<\/strong>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Without proper hyphenation, your meaning is often unclear:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"kb-errorlist\">\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span class=\"highlight-red\"><strong>Five year old<\/strong><\/span><strong> girls:<\/strong> Are there five girls, or are the girls five years old?<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\" class=\"check\"><span class=\"highlight-green\"><strong>Five-year-old<\/strong><\/span><strong> girls: <\/strong>The girls are five years old.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\" class=\"check\"><span class=\"highlight-green\"><strong>Five <\/strong><strong>year-old<\/strong><\/span><strong> girls: <\/strong>There are five girls, all one year old.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"dash\">Hyphen vs. dash<\/h2>\n<p>A hyphen (-) is often wrongly used in place of an <a href=index-4040.html#the-en-dash-marking-a-range\">en dash<\/a> (\u2013) or the longer <a href=index-4040.html#the-em-dash-marking-a-break-in-a-sentence\">em dash<\/a> (\u2014). Although they look similar, hyphens should not be used interchangeably with either kind of dash.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"colorbox\" href=index-4041.html><img decoding=\"async\" src=index-4041.html alt=\"Hyphen vs. dash\" class=\"mb-3 mt-3 aligncenter\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t use a hyphen, with or without spaces, to indicate a parenthetical phrase or a break in a sentence. Use an em dash (\u2014) with no spaces instead.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"kb-errorlist\">\n<li aria-level=\"1\">It was no use<span class=\"highlight-red\">&hyphen;<\/span>I couldn\u2019t get through to them.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\" class=\"check\">It was no use<span class=\"highlight-green\">\u2014<\/span>I couldn\u2019t get through to them.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul class=\"kb-errorlist\">\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Dark, leafy greens<span class=\"highlight-red\"> &hyphen; <\/span>such as spinach and kale<span class=\"highlight-red\">&hyphen; <\/span>are an important part of a healthy diet.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\" class=\"check\">Dark, leafy greens<span class=\"highlight-green\">\u2014<\/span>such as spinach and kale<span class=\"highlight-green\">\u2014<\/span>are an important part of a healthy diet.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Don\u2019t use a hyphen to indicate a range of numbers or to replace the word \u201cto\u201d in phrases indicating a relationship, journey, or score. Use an en dash (\u2013) instead.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"kb-errorlist\">\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Add <span class=\"highlight-red\">20-30<\/span> mg to the solution. Refrigerate and wait <span class=\"highlight-red\">10-15<\/span> minutes.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\" class=\"check\">Add <span class=\"highlight-green\">20\u201330<\/span> mg to the solution. Refrigerate and wait <span class=\"highlight-green\">10\u201315<\/span> minutes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul class=\"kb-errorlist\">\n<li aria-level=\"1\">After the team lost <span class=\"highlight-red\">4-1<\/span> at home, the <span class=\"highlight-red\">South-North<\/span> metro line was packed with rowdy fans.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\" class=\"check\">After the team lost <span class=\"highlight-green\">4\u20131<\/span> at home, the <span class=\"highlight-green\">South\u2013North<\/span> metro line was packed with rowdy fans.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"capitalization\">Capitalization of hyphenated terms<\/h2>\n<p>If a hyphenated term appears at the start of the sentence, capitalize only the first word, not the word(s) after the hyphen.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"kb-errorlist\">\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span class=\"highlight-red\">Long-Term<\/span> side effects have not been adequately investigated.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\" class=\"check\"><span class=\"highlight-green\">Long-term<\/span> side effects have not been adequately investigated.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Sometimes, though, a hyphenated compound needs to be capitalized because it\u2019s used in a <a href=index-4042.html#the-three-heading-capitalization-styles\">title<\/a>. Modern style guides such as Chicago and APA recommend capitalizing the word(s) after the hyphens according to the same principles as other words in the title.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\" class=\"pb-2\">Capitalize the first and last of the hyphenated words.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\" class=\"pb-2\">Don\u2019t capitalize any short conjunctions, articles, or prepositions that appear in the middle of a hyphenated term.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\" class=\"pb-2\">In cases where a prefix or suffix is connected to a word by a hyphen, capitalize only the first part.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It used to be standard to capitalize only the first word and leave all subsequent words lowercase. Some style guides may still recommend this approach.<\/p>\n<table class=\"kb-table bordered vertical-borders\">\n<caption>Capitalizing hyphenated terms in title case<\/caption>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Modern style<\/th>\n<th>Old style<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>An Overview of <strong>Twenty-First-Century<\/strong> History<\/td>\n<td>An Overview of <strong>Twenty-first-century<\/strong> History<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>It\u2019s a <strong>Free-for-All<\/strong>!<\/td>\n<td>It\u2019s a <strong>Free-for-all<\/strong>!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Uses of <strong>Anti-inflammatory<\/strong> Drugs<\/td>\n<td>Uses of <strong>Anti-inflammatory<\/strong> Drugs<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Several <strong>Virgil-esque<\/strong> Poets<\/td>\n<td>Several <strong>Virgil-esque<\/strong> Poets<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Mid-Atlantic<\/strong> States<\/td>\n<td><strong>Mid-Atlantic<\/strong> States<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Check if the style guide you\u2019re following provides guidance on this point. If in doubt, default to the modern style. And be consistent; don\u2019t switch between the two styles for different titles.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"other\">Other uses of hyphens<\/h2>\n<p>There are a few other uses of hyphens left to cover:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><a href=index.html#suspended\">Suspended hyphens<\/a><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><a href=index.html#stuttering\">Hyphens used to indicate stuttering in speech<\/a><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><a href=index.html#numbers\">Hyphenation of spelled-out numbers and fractions<\/a><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><a href=index.html#foreign\">Hyphens in foreign terms<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 id=\"suspended\">Suspended hyphens<\/h3>\n<p>A <strong>suspended hyphen<\/strong> is a hyphen that appears at the end of a word to indicate that it is followed by the same word or suffix as another word that appears soon after it. This avoids the need to repeat that word or suffix. For example, \u201cleft- and right-handed\u201d is short for \u201cleft-handed and right-handed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Suspended hyphens may also be used in the same way with closed compounds, even though there\u2019s no hyphenation in the full term. For example, \u201cpre- and postwar\u201d is short for \u201cprewar and postwar.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left blue\"><figcaption>Examples: Suspended hyphens<\/figcaption>The Baroque was a <strong>17th-<\/strong> and <strong>18th-century<\/strong> artistic movement.<\/p>\n<p>Both <strong>pro-<\/strong> and <strong>antiwar <\/strong>positions were represented at the debate.<\/p>\n<p>Do you prefer <strong>cheese-<\/strong> or <strong>paprika-flavored<\/strong> chips?<\/figure>\n<p>More rarely, a suspended hyphen appears at the start of a word to indicate the repetition of the first word or of a prefix. Style guides often recommend against this usage, as it can be confusing. It\u2019s usually better to just write out both words in full:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"kb-errorlist\">\n<li aria-level=\"1\">He found himself overworked and <span class=\"highlight-red\">-stimulated<\/span>.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\" class=\"check\">He found himself overworked and <span class=\"highlight-green\">overstimulated<\/span>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 id=\"stuttering\">To indicate stuttering<\/h3>\n<p>When reporting speech\u2014as in a work of fiction or a quote from an interview\u2014hyphens can be used to indicate that the speaker stuttered (repeated a particular part of a word) or that they extended a certain sound.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left blue\"><figcaption>Examples: Hyphens used to indicate stuttering<\/figcaption>\u201cI <strong>th-th-think<\/strong> we should go <strong>b-back<\/strong> inside,\u201d said Charlie, shivering in the cold.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is <strong>so-o-o<\/strong> <strong>bo-o-oring<\/strong>!\u201d<\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"numbers\">With numbers and fractions<\/h3>\n<p>When you spell out a number instead of using a numeral, hyphenation may be required. Style guides usually recommend hyphenating numbers twenty-one to ninety-nine that consist of two words, but not hyphenating hundreds, thousands, and so on.<\/p>\n<p>Examples are shown below for both cardinal (e.g., \u201ctwenty-one\u201d) and ordinal numbers (e.g., \u201ctwenty-first\u201d).<\/p>\n<table class=\"kb-table bordered vertical-borders\">\n<caption>Hyphenation of spelled-out numbers<\/caption>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Numerals<\/th>\n<th>Cardinal<\/th>\n<th>Ordinal<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>0\u201320<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>zero, one, seven, ten, eleven, nineteen, twenty<\/td>\n<td>zeroth, first, seventh, tenth, eleventh, nineteenth, twentieth<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>21\u201399<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>twenty-one, forty, fifty-six, seventy-five, ninety-nine<\/td>\n<td>twenty-first, fortieth, fifty-sixth, seventy-fifth, ninety-ninth<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>100+<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>one hundred (and) twenty-five, seven hundred thousand five hundred (and) forty-eight, nineteen thirty-nine (year)<\/td>\n<td>one hundred (and) twenty-fifth, one million seven hundred thousand five hundred (and) forty-eighth<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left yellow\"><figcaption>Note<\/figcaption>Many style guides recommend writing numbers 10 and above as numerals\u00a0 (e.g., \u201c21st,\u201d \u201c1,700,548,\u201d \u201c1939\u201d), in which case the issue of hyphenation is irrelevant.<\/figure>\n<p>There is some disagreement about how to spell out fractions. Traditionally, they are always hyphenated (e.g., \u201cone-third\u201d) unless the second number already contains a hyphen (e.g., \u201cone twenty-fifth\u201d). This approach is still recommended by Chicago and <a href=index-1779.html>MLA<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>A newer approach is to hyphenate fractions only when they are used as adjectives before a noun and leave them open in other contexts. This is recommended by APA and Oxford style guides. Examples of the two approaches are shown in the table below.<\/p>\n<table class=\"kb-table bordered vertical-borders\">\n<caption>Approaches to hyphenating fractions<\/caption>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Always hyphenate (Chicago and MLA)<\/th>\n<th>Hyphenate only adjectival fractions (APA and Oxford)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>The motion passed with a majority of <strong>two-thirds<\/strong>.<\/td>\n<td>The motion passed with a majority of <strong>two thirds<\/strong>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>I\u2019m almost <strong>five-eighths<\/strong> of the way through.<\/td>\n<td>I\u2019m almost <strong>five eighths<\/strong> of the way through.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>There\u2019s been a <strong>one-half<\/strong> increase in the price of bread.<\/td>\n<td>There\u2019s been a <strong>one-half<\/strong> increase in the price of bread.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>The turkey is <strong>three-quarters<\/strong> cooked.<\/td>\n<td>The turkey is <strong>three-quarters<\/strong> cooked.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>You can\u2019t win with a <strong>one twenty-fifth<\/strong> share of the vote.<\/td>\n<td>You can\u2019t win with a <strong>one twenty-fifth<\/strong> share of the vote.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3 id=\"foreign\">With foreign terms<\/h3>\n<p>If you use a non-English term in your writing, leave the punctuation as it was in the original language, rather than adding or removing hyphens to match the rules of hyphenation in English.<\/p>\n<p>For example, always hyphenate the French term \u201csavoir-vivre,\u201d but never hyphenate the Latin term \u201ca priori\u201d\u2014in both cases, following the style of the original language. If you\u2019re unsure, check a dictionary.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"kb-errorlist\">\n<li aria-level=\"1\">The policy is somewhat <span class=\"highlight-red\">laissez faire<\/span>.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\" class=\"check\">The policy is somewhat <span class=\"highlight-green\">laissez-faire<\/span>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul class=\"kb-errorlist\">\n<li aria-level=\"1\">This was an <span class=\"highlight-red\">ex-post-facto<\/span> decision.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\" class=\"check\">This was an <span class=\"highlight-green\">ex post facto<\/span> decision.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"other\">Other interesting articles<\/h2>\n<p>If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or writing rules make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!<\/p>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-md\" style=\"background-color: #e8f2fc; padding: 1.27rem 1.56rem; line-height: 1.8; border-radius: .5rem; margin-right: 0.5rem; margin-top: 0.5rem;\">\n<p><strong><em class=\"fa fa-book\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/em>\u00a0Academic Writing<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul style=\"padding: 5px;\">\n<li><a href=index-1789.html>Avoiding repetition<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-1766.html>Effective headings<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-3543.html>Grawlix<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-979.html>Taboo words<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-3544.html>Tautology<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-3399.html>Transition words<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md\" style=\"background-color: #e8f2fc; padding: 1.27rem 1.56rem; line-height: 1.8; border-radius: .5rem; margin-right: 0.5rem; margin-top: 0.5rem;\">\n<p><strong><em class=\"fa fa-desktop\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/em>\u00a0AI<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul style=\"padding: 5px;\">\n<li><a href=index-1585.html>Deep learning <\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-1586.html>Generative AI<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-1587.html>Machine learning<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-1588.html>Reinforcement learning<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-1589.html>Supervised vs. unsupervised learning<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md\" style=\"background-color: #e8f2fc; padding: 1.27rem 1.56rem; line-height: 1.8; border-radius: .5rem; margin-right: 0.5rem; margin-top: 0.5rem;\">\n<p><strong><em class=\"fa fa-cogs\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/em>\u00a0(AI) Tools<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul style=\"padding: 5px;\">\n<li><a href=index-989.html>Grammar Checker<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-988.html>Paraphrasing Tool<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-990.html>Text Summarizer<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-1590.html>AI Detector<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-931.html>Plagiarism Checker<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index-991.html>Citation Generator<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n    <h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<dl class=\"faq-list faq-list--arrows w-100 my-5\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/FAQPage\">\n            <div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n            <dt id=\"hyphen\" class=\"faq-list__title\">\n                <a href=index-4043.html class=\"faq-list__link qa-faq-anchor\">\n                    <span itemprop=\"name\">\n                        What is a hyphen?\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/dt>\n            <dd id=\"hyphen-answer\" class=\"faq-list__answer qa-faq-answer kb-article-styles\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n                <div itemprop=\"text\">\n                                        <p>A <strong><a href=index-3485.html>hyphen<\/a> (-)<\/strong> is a punctuation mark used to connect two or more words that work together to express a combined meaning or modify a following word. A series of two or more words joined by hyphens is called a <a href=index-4038.html#hyphenated\">hyphenated compound<\/a>. Examples include \u201cdecision-making,\u201d \u201cwell-being,\u201d and \u201chigh-quality.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A hyphen is different from an <a href=index-4040.html#the-en-dash-marking-a-range\">en dash<\/a> (\u2013), which is used to indicate numerical ranges (e.g., \u201c10\u201315\u201d) and to mean \u201cto\u201d in other contexts (e.g., \u201cthe Brussels\u2013London train\u201d).<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s also not the same as an <a href=index-4040.html#the-em-dash-marking-a-break-in-a-sentence\">em dash<\/a> (\u2014), which is used to indicate a break in a sentence or set off a parenthetical statement (e.g., \u201cWhat I\u2019m saying\u2014and stop me if you\u2019ve heard this before\u2014is that \u2026\u201d).<\/p>\n\n                <\/div>\n            <\/dd>\n        <\/div>\n            <div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n            <dt id=\"use-hyphen\" class=\"faq-list__title\">\n                <a href=index-4044.html class=\"faq-list__link qa-faq-anchor\">\n                    <span itemprop=\"name\">\n                        When do you use a hyphen?\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/dt>\n            <dd id=\"use-hyphen-answer\" class=\"faq-list__answer qa-faq-answer kb-article-styles\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n                <div itemprop=\"text\">\n                                        <p>A <a href=index-3485.html>hyphen<\/a> (-) is used to connect two words and show that they should be read in combination to express one meaning. The main contexts where hyphenation is needed are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\" class=\"pb-2\">In <a href=index-4032.html#compound\">compound adjectives<\/a> before a noun: <strong>well-known ideas<\/strong>, <strong>many-faceted explanation<\/strong>, <strong>mind-bending episode<\/strong><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\" class=\"pb-2\">When a <a href=index-4037.html>phrasal verb<\/a> (e.g., \u201cbreak in\u201d) is used as a noun: <strong>a break-in<\/strong>, <strong>the go-ahead<\/strong><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\" class=\"pb-2\">In some compound <a href=index-3522.html style=\"background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 1rem;\">nouns<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"> consisting of several words: <\/span><strong style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">father-in-law<\/strong><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">, <\/span><strong style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">free-for-all<\/strong><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">, <\/span><strong style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">jack-of-all-trades<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n                <\/div>\n            <\/dd>\n        <\/div>\n            <div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n            <dt id=\"hyphenate-numbers\" class=\"faq-list__title\">\n                <a href=index-4045.html class=\"faq-list__link qa-faq-anchor\">\n                    <span itemprop=\"name\">\n                        Do you hyphenate numbers?\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/dt>\n            <dd id=\"hyphenate-numbers-answer\" class=\"faq-list__answer qa-faq-answer kb-article-styles\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n                <div itemprop=\"text\">\n                                        <p>When you spell out numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine that consist of more than one word, <a href=index-3485.html>hyphenate<\/a> them. For example, write \u201cthirty-six,\u201d not \u201cthirty six.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But don\u2019t hyphenate terms for larger numbers such as \u201chundred,\u201d \u201cthousand,\u201d and \u201cmillion.\u201d For example, write \u201cthree thousand four hundred (and) twenty-seven\u201d and \u201cnineteen sixty-eight.\u201d (Such numbers are normally written as numerals anyway: \u201c3,427\u201d; \u201c1968.\u201d)<\/p>\n\n                <\/div>\n            <\/dd>\n        <\/div>\n            <div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n            <dt id=\"hyphen-in-person\" class=\"faq-list__title\">\n                <a href=index-4046.html class=\"faq-list__link qa-faq-anchor\">\n                    <span itemprop=\"name\">\n                        Is there a hyphen in \u201cin person\u201d?\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/dt>\n            <dd id=\"hyphen-in-person-answer\" class=\"faq-list__answer qa-faq-answer kb-article-styles\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n                <div itemprop=\"text\">\n                                        <p>The phrase \u201cin person\u201d should be written with a <a href=index-3485.html>hyphen<\/a> in some contexts but not others.<\/p>\n<p>Hyphenate it when it\u2019s used as an <a href=index-4032.html#compound\">adjective<\/a> before a <a href=index-3522.html>noun<\/a>: \u201cin-person meeting,\u201d \u201cin-person coworking,\u201d \u201cin-person conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t hyphenate it when it does not appear before a noun: \u201cI\u2019ve met her in person,\u201d \u201cwe work together in person,\u201d \u201cwe have never spoken in person.\u201d<\/p>\n\n                <\/div>\n            <\/dd>\n        <\/div>\n            <div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n            <dt id=\"hyphen-year-old\" class=\"faq-list__title\">\n                <a href=index-4047.html class=\"faq-list__link qa-faq-anchor\">\n                    <span itemprop=\"name\">\n                        Is there a hyphen in \u201cyear old\u201d?\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/dt>\n            <dd id=\"hyphen-year-old-answer\" class=\"faq-list__answer qa-faq-answer kb-article-styles\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n                <div itemprop=\"text\">\n                                        <p>Phrases describing age, such as \u201cone-year-old,\u201d are <a href=index-3485.html>hyphenated<\/a> in some contexts but not others.<\/p>\n<p>Hyphenate when the phrase functions as an <a href=index-4032.html#compound\">adjective<\/a> before a <a href=index-3522.html>noun<\/a> (e.g., \u201ctwo-year-old daughter,\u201d \u201csix-week-old puppy\u201d) or when it functions as a noun (e.g., \u201che behaves like a four-year-old,\u201d \u201cthe 10-year-old was staring\u201d).<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t hyphenate when the phrase is used as an adjective after the noun. In this case, the unit of time is also pluralized (e.g., \u201cyears\u201d) unless the number is one. For example, \u201cmy daughter is two years old,\u201d \u201che behaves like he\u2019s four years old,\u201d \u201cthe puppy is one month old.\u201d<\/p>\n\n                <\/div>\n            <\/dd>\n        <\/div>\n            <div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n            <dt id=\"hyphenate-last-names\" class=\"faq-list__title\">\n                <a href=index-4048.html class=\"faq-list__link qa-faq-anchor\">\n                    <span itemprop=\"name\">\n                        How do I hyphenate last names?\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/dt>\n            <dd id=\"hyphenate-last-names-answer\" class=\"faq-list__answer qa-faq-answer kb-article-styles\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n                <div itemprop=\"text\">\n                                        <p>Some people have \u201cdouble-barreled\u201d last names such as \u201cSmith-Merkus,\u201d for example because both parents retained their original surnames when they married.<\/p>\n<p>There is no consistent rule about whether such last names should be <a href=index-3485.html>hyphenated<\/a>. Hyphenation varies widely according to cultural context and personal choice.<\/p>\n<p>To know whether a specific person\u2019s last name is hyphenated, it\u2019s best to check a reliable source such as the title page of one of their publications or an entry about them in a reference work.<\/p>\n\n                <\/div>\n            <\/dd>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/dl>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A hyphen (-) is a punctuation mark used to connect two or more words (or parts of words) to show that they form one unit of sense\u2014e.g., \u201cfast-paced,\u201d \u201cshake-up,\u201d \u201cfour-year-old,\u201d \u201cpost-punk.\u201d Mistakes with hyphens are very common: leaving them out when they\u2019re needed, adding them when they\u2019re unnecessary, or putting them in the wrong place. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":95,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":""},"categories":[28634],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<title>Hyphen (-) | Rules of Correct Punctuation<\/title>\n
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<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A hyphen (-) is used to connect words (or parts of words) to show that they form one unit of sense: \u201cfast-paced,\u201d \u201cfour-year-old,\u201d \u201cpost-punk.\u201d\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=index-3485.html \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Hyphen (-) | Rules of Correct Punctuation\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A hyphen (-) is a punctuation mark used to connect two or more words (or parts of words) to show that they form one unit of sense\u2014e.g., \u201cfast-paced,\u201d\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/language-rules\/hyphens\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Scribbr\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" 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