{"id":16600,"date":"2017-12-15T21:22:43","date_gmt":"2017-12-15T21:22:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy?page_id=16600"},"modified":"2026-03-28T11:40:55","modified_gmt":"2026-03-28T16:40:55","slug":"hyphens","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/hyphens\/","title":{"rendered":"Hyphens"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t\t\t<div id=\"mmDeferVideoEncompass_i_Wtaq7e55c\" style=\"position: relative;\">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/circle-play-duotone.webp\" type=\"image\/webp\">\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/circle-play-duotone.png\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"> \n\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"eager\" id=\"videoThumbnailImage_i_Wtaq7e55c\" data-source-videoID=\"i_Wtaq7e55c\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/circle-play-duotone.png\" alt=\"Hyphens Video\" height=\"464\" width=\"825\" class=\"size-full\" data-matomo-title = \"Hyphens\">\n\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<style>img#videoThumbnailImage_i_Wtaq7e55c:hover {cursor:pointer;} img#videoThumbnailImage_i_Wtaq7e55c {background-size:contain;background-image:url(\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/833-hyphens-2.webp\");}<\/style>\n\t\t\t<script defer>\n\t\t\t  jQuery(\"img#videoThumbnailImage_i_Wtaq7e55c\").click(function() {\n\t\t\t\tlet videoId = jQuery(this).attr(\"data-source-videoID\");\n\t\t\t\tlet helpTag = '<div id=\"mmDeferVideoYTMessage_i_Wtaq7e55c\" style=\"display: none;position: absolute;top: -24px;width: 100%;text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;font-size: small;border-top: 1px solid #fc0;\">Having trouble? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v='+videoId+'\" target=\"_blank\">Click here to watch on YouTube.<\/a><\/span><\/div>';\n\t\t\t\tlet tag = document.createElement(\"iframe\");\n\t\t\t\ttag.id = \"yt\" + videoId;\n\t\t\t\ttag.src = \"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/\" + videoId + \"?autoplay=1&controls=1&wmode=opaque&rel=0&egm=0&iv_load_policy=3&hd=0&enablejsapi=1\";\n\t\t\t\ttag.frameborder = 0;\n\t\t\t\ttag.allow = \"autoplay; fullscreen\";\n\t\t\t\ttag.width = this.width;\n\t\t\t\ttag.height = this.height;\n\t\t\t\ttag.setAttribute(\"data-matomo-title\",\"Hyphens\");\n\t\t\t\tjQuery(\"div#mmDeferVideoEncompass_i_Wtaq7e55c\").html(tag);\n\t\t\t\tjQuery(\"div#mmDeferVideoEncompass_i_Wtaq7e55c\").prepend(helpTag);\n\t\t\t\tsetTimeout(function(){jQuery(\"div#mmDeferVideoYTMessage_i_Wtaq7e55c\").css(\"display\", \"block\");}, 2000);\n\t\t\t  });\n\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t<\/script>\n\t\t\n<p><script>\nfunction vy0_Function() {\n  var x = document.getElementById(\"vy0\");\n  if (x.style.display === \"none\") {\n    x.style.display = \"block\";\n  } else {\n    x.style.display = \"none\";\n  }\n}\n<\/script><\/p>\n<div class=\"moc-toc hide-on-desktop hide-on-tablet\">\n<div><button onclick=\"vy0_Function()\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/toc2.svg\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"show or hide table of contents\"><\/button><\/p>\n<p>On this page<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<nav id=\"vy0\" style=\"display:none;\">\n<ul>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#Basic_Ground_Rules\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Basic Ground Rules<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#Main_Hyphen_Rules\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Main Hyphen Rules<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#Other_Rules\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Other Rules<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#Review\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"accordion\"><input id=\"transcript\" type=\"checkbox\" class=\"spoiler_button\" \/><label for=\"transcript\">Transcript<\/label>\n<div class=\"spoiler\" id=\"transcript-spoiler\">\n<div class=\"transcriptcallout\" style=\"text-align: left;\">Susan glared at the cloud-filled sky as she half-heartedly trudged along the pedestrian-filled walkway in search of a noise-free area in which she could finish her much-dreaded homework.<\/div>\n<p>\n&nbsp;<br \/>\nThat sentence may sound a little long and clunky, but if you write it out, you\u2019ll see that it\u2019s filled with words that are hyphenated. Today, we\u2019ll be looking at exactly what a hyphen is, and when we should and shouldn\u2019t use it in our writing.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Basic_Ground_Rules\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Basic Ground Rules<\/h2>\n<p>\nLet\u2019s begin with two basic ground rules that are often broken.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Hyphens (-) should not be confused with dashes (\u2013)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Note that the hyphen is a single, short line, while the dash is longer. Dashes are also used differently, but we\u2019ll leave that for another video. <\/p>\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li>Avoid spaces between hyphens and the text they are connected to.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>For example, in the word <em>self-esteem<\/em>, there is no space between the word <em>self<\/em> and the hyphen, or between the hyphen and the word <em>esteem<\/em>.<\/p>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<li><strong>Correct:<\/strong> self-esteem<\/li>\n<li><strong>Incorrect:<\/strong> self &#8211; esteem<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Keeping these two rules in mind will save you a lot of trouble moving forward. <\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Main_Hyphen_Rules\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Main Hyphen Rules<\/h2>\n<p>\nNow let\u2019s look at some more hyphen rules.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Rule_1_Compound_Adjectives\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Rule 1: Compound Adjectives<\/h3>\n<p>\nWhen multiple words come together to form a single idea that modifies a noun, which we call a compound <a class=\"ylist\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/what-is-an-adjective\/\">adjective<\/a>, then hyphens should be used between each word. Examples include &#8220;well-lit room,&#8221; &#8220;state-of-the-art technology,&#8221; and &#8220;fur-covered animal.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Rule_2_Creating_Original_Compound_Verbs\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Rule 2: Creating Original Compound Verbs<\/h3>\n<p>\nSometimes we create original, creative <a class=\"ylist\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/action-verbs-and-linking-verbs\/\">verbs<\/a> in our writing. Using hyphens to connect these words reduces ambiguity and shows that the two or more words should be read together as a single verb. For example:<\/p>\n<div class=\"transcriptcallout\">The slacker video-gamed his way through life.<\/div>\n<p>\n&nbsp;<br \/>\nNote here that <em>video-gamed<\/em> is not an established verb, but the writer has used it as a way to creatively express the way in which the slacker went about his life. Since it is a made-up verb, a hyphen is required in order to show that it is a verb and to prevent confusion.  <\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Rule_3_Creating_New_or_Unusual_Compound_Nouns\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Rule 3: Creating New or Unusual Compound Nouns<\/h3>\n<p>\nAs with verbs, we can also create nouns using two or more words. When these compound nouns are not already established and widely used, it is best to use hyphens between the words in order to prevent confusion.<\/p>\n<p>For example: <\/p>\n<div class=\"transcriptcallout\">I changed my diet and became a no-meater.<\/div>\n<p>\n&nbsp;<br \/>\nHere, the hyphen is important because \u201cno meater\u201d without the hyphen might be confusing. Including the hyphen tells readers that no-meater is a single concept.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Rule_4_Avoid_Hyphenating_Between_Very_and_Adverbs_Ending_in_%E2%80%93ly\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Rule 4: Avoid Hyphenating Between Very and Adverbs Ending in \u2013ly<\/h3>\n<p>\nIt may seem correct at first glance, but avoid hyphenating between <em>very<\/em> or an <a class=\"ylist\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/adverbs\/\">\u2013ly adverb<\/a> and the noun or verb being modified. For example, you wouldn\u2019t use a hyphen when describing a very tall man, nor would you use one to describe a finely dressed man.<\/p>\n<p>However, do keep in mind that the \u2013ly rule we\u2019re talking about only applies to adverbs (words that modify a verb). Not all words ending in \u2013ly are adverbs and they can often be used to create compound adjectives like those discussed in Rule 1. For instance, the word <em>family<\/em> ends in -ly, but since it isn\u2019t an adverb, you would put a hyphen when using it to describe something like a family-owned restaurant.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Rule_5_Hyphenating_to_Tell_Age\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Rule 5: Hyphenating to Tell Age<\/h3>\n<p>\nUse hyphens when writing ages that include the words year, month, day, or week. For example, if your dog is two years old, you would use hyphens to describe him as a two-year-old dog.<\/p>\n<div class=\"transcriptcallout\">I have a two-year-old dog.<\/div>\n<p>\n&nbsp;<br \/>\nHowever, if the time period is plural, you do not use a hyphen. If you were describing the age of your kitten that is six weeks old, there would be no hyphen between six and weeks.<\/p>\n<div class=\"transcriptcallout\">My kitten is six weeks old.<\/div>\n<p>\n&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Rule_6_Hyphenating_Spans_or_Estimates_of_Time\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Rule 6: Hyphenating Spans or Estimates of Time<\/h3>\n<p>\nHyphens should be used either between a span of time or an estimated range. For example, 1996-2007, 50-60 people, and 12:00-3:00 are all hyphenated.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Rule_7_Compound_Numbers_from_TwentyOne_to_NinetyNine\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Rule 7: Compound Numbers from Twenty-One to Ninety-Nine<\/h3>\n<p>\nThis rule is mostly self-explanatory. Always include a hyphen when writing out numbers between 21 and 99 in word form.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Twenty-six<\/li>\n<li>Thirty-five<\/li>\n<li>Sixty-fourth<\/li>\n<li>Ninety-first<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span id=\"Rule_8_Ex,_All,_Self_Prefixes\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Rule 8: Ex-, All-, Self- Prefixes<\/h3>\n<p>\nUse a hyphen after the prefixes ex-, all-, or self-. For example, &#8220;ex-wife,&#8221; &#8220;all-knowing,&#8221; and &#8220;self-esteem&#8221; are hyphenated.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Other_Rules\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Other Rules<\/h2>\n<p>\nAll of these examples we\u2019ve looked at are not an exhaustive list of all of the rules for hyphenating, but they are the main rules that are most important to remember. Here is a quick rundown of some other rules to make note of: <\/p>\n<p><strong>First<\/strong>, hyphens can be used to reduce ambiguity in writing. For example, <em>recover<\/em> vs. <em>re-cover<\/em>. <em>Recover<\/em> means to get better, but <em>re-cover<\/em> means to cover up something that was previously covered.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Second<\/strong>, spelled-out fractions should be hyphenated. For example: Two-thirds, nine-fifths, and one-fourth.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Third<\/strong>, hyphenate double last names: For example: William Smith-Jacobson.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Fourth<\/strong>, hyphenate prefixes for proper nouns and adjectives. For example: mid-September or trans-Pacific.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Fifth<\/strong>, hyphenate family relations that use the word great, such as great-aunt or great-great-grandmother.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sixth<\/strong>, when combining two or more hyphenated words or phrases, keep the hyphen after the last word before the conjunction, such as two-year- to three-year-olds or eighteenth- and nineteenth-century art. <\/p>\n<p>As you can see, there are a lot of rules for using hyphens. If you\u2019re ever unsure if you should use a hyphen when you\u2019re writing, a dictionary is a great resource to use.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<h2><span id=\"Review\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Review<\/h2>\n<p>\nBefore we go, let\u2019s look at a review question to see what you remember.<\/p>\n<p>Which of the following is false?<\/p>\n<ol style=\"list-style: upper-alpha;\">\n<li>Hyphens should be used when self-  is a prefix<\/li>\n<li>Hyphens should be used in compound adjectives<\/li>\n<li>Hyphens should be used after adverbs ending in \u2013ly<\/li>\n<li>Hyphens should be used when spelling out numbers between 21 and 99<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div style=\"text-align: center; margin-bottom: 20px;\">\n  <button class=\"buttontranscript\" onClick=\"toggle('Answer1')\">Show Answer<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"Answer1\" class=\"showanswer\">\n  <strong>The correct answer is C<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Remember, avoid hyphenating between an -ly adverb and the word it\u2019s modifying, as well as the word <em>very<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n&nbsp;<br \/>\nI hope this review was helpful! Thanks for watching, and happy studying!<\/p>\n<ul class=\"citelist\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/punctuation\/hyphens.asp\"target=\"_blank\">\u201cHyphens | Punctuation Rules.\u201d Grammarbook.com<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywritingtips.com\/compound-modifiers\/\"target=\"_blank\">\u201cCompound Modifiers &#8211; DAILY WRITING TIPS.\u201d<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"home-buttons\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/parts-of-a-sentence\/\">Return to Parts of a Sentence Videos<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\nfunction toggle(obj) {\n          var obj=document.getElementById(obj);\n          if (obj.style.display == \"block\") obj.style.display = \"none\";\n          else obj.style.display = \"block\";\n}\n<\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Return to Parts of a Sentence Videos<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":99943,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":{"0":"post-16600","1":"page","2":"type-page","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"page_category-parts-of-a-sentence-videos","7":"page_category-video-pages-for-study-course-sidebar-ad","8":"page_type-video","9":"subject_matter-english"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/16600","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16600"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/16600\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":260959,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/16600\/revisions\/260959"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/99943"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16600"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}