A hyphen (-) is used in the middle of a multi-word idea or joins two related words together.
(The hyphen key is next to the +/= key on your keyboard (the same key with the underscore _ )
Use hyphens to join compound words and avoid awkward or confusing word combinations.
A hyphen (-) is used in the middle of a multi-word idea or joins two related words together.
My son-in-law owns a friendly-looking dog.
Ten Rules for Using a Hyphen
1. You should hyphenate two words if they come after a noun they modify and contain a single idea. Some grammar books will calls this a compound adjective.
He knew she was a well-dressed lady, but until he saw her immaculately-polished fingernails, he wasn’t sure she was the right one for the job.
You do not need to hyphenate if the words come after the noun (unless the words are a generally accepted hyphenated compound). Always look up a word if you are unsure.
The lady was well dressed with immaculate nail polish.
2. Use hyphens with ages if the period of time is singular (not plural).
I have a three-year-old child. She is three years old.
Year is singular in the first sentence, so you should use a hyphen. Years is plural in the second sentence, so you do not use a hyphen. The only exception to this is if the unit of time is one.
The one-year-old child is laughing.
In this case, the word year is singular because the child is only one, not for another grammatical purpose.
3. Use a hyphen between numbers, but do not put spaces between the numebrs and the hyphens.
The class meets from 5:30-6:45 (not 5:30 – 6:45).
4. Use a hyphen for all compound numbers from twenty-one through ninety-nine.
The class had twenty-four students.
The car cost twelve thousand nine hundred ninety-nine dollars.
You rarely need to spell out numbers like this—unless you have to start a sentence with a number, in which case you must spell it out. If you have a sentence that begins with a number, consider rearranging the word order to avoid it and save yourself the trouble!
Thirty-two people registered for the seminar.
The seminar had 32 people registered.
7. Use a hyphen when discussing fractions.
The vote passed with more than a two-thirds majority.
6. Use a hyphen between a double last name.
Camilla Parker-Bowles married Prince Charles.
7. You can use a hyphen if you are being creative with a word form in order to make a point (or be funny or clever).
He found he could not yes-ma’am his way into a corner office.
He gave his dog another one of those oh-will-you-please-listen-to-me looks and sighed.
8. Use a hyphen to avoid confusion.
I re-sent that document.
Without the hyphen, this would say “I resent that document” and that may be misinterpreted!
He discovered the missing-person report.
Without the hyphen, it is not clear if he found a report about missing people or if the “person report” was missing.
9. Do not use a hyphen for adverbs that end in -ly (or very).
INCORRECT: the very-fancy dinner party or the elegantly-sculpted statue
Note: This only applies to adverbs that end in -ly, not every word that ends in -ly.
The family-owned cafe was guarded by a friendly-looking dog.
10. Try not to overuse the hyphen with commonly known phrases. Always look up a word to see if it is typically hyphenated
Hyphen Checklist
- To join some compound words into one word when the word reflects a single concept
- The well-known doctor gained additional recognition when the results of her top-notch research were published.
- Hyphens are used only when the compound word precedes the noun it modifies–not when it follows it. For instance: The well-known actor was not as well known as she assumed.
- Mother-in-law, five-year-old, better-than-usual
- The well-known doctor gained additional recognition when the results of her top-notch research were published.
- With a small group of prefixes and suffixes
- ex-wife, post-World War II, pre-2000, treasurer-elect
- In numbers and fractions that have been written out in words
- seventy-six, one thousand twenty-five, one-eighth, two-thirds
- To avoid confusion in meaning
- re-vision (to look at something more than one time)
- To avoid awkward letter combinations
- anti-integration, non-negotiable, pre-engagement
- Do not use a hyphen in familiar compound words and terms
- Pineapple, hometown, private school, bank account
- Do not use a hyphen with most prefixes and suffixes
- Prenuptial, unconscionable, collaborate