3.8 Hyphens
A hyphen (-) looks similar to a dash but is shorter and used differently.
Hyphens between Two Adjectives That Work as One
Use a hyphen to combine words that work together to form a single description.
The fifty-five-year-old athlete was just as qualified for the marathon as his younger opponents.
My doctor recommended against taking the medication, since it can be habit-forming.
My study group focused on preparing for the mid-year review.
Hyphens When a Word Breaks at the End of a Line
Use a hyphen to divide a word across two lines of text. You may notice that most word-processing programs will do this for you. If you must manually insert a hyphen, place the hyphen between two syllables. If you are unsure where to place the hyphen, consult a dictionary or move the entire word to the next line.
My supervisor was concerned that the team meet-
ing would conflict with the client meeting.
Key Takeaways
- Hyphens join words that work as one adjective.
- Hyphens break words across two lines of text.
This is adapted from the book Successful Writing (v. 1.0).