The hyphen is used to separate syllables and words, especially in compound modifiers. It is also used for prefixes, suffixes, and organizing words. The dash is preferred for capitalized or confusing words. Hyphens are used for age, numbers, adverbs, and nouns. Exceptions exist and can be found in a dictionary.
The hyphen, or “-“, is used to separate syllables at line breaks in sentences or to separate words, especially those used in sentences called compound modifiers. Before the advent of word processing, writers with right-aligned margins commonly used the hyphen to divide longer words at the end of each line of text. As of 2011, it is a symbol typically used to add prefixes and suffixes, or to separate words used in concert as modifying adjectives, as in “long-winded writers”.
The dictionary is useful for determining which words or phrases contain a hyphen and which do not. “Predawn” and “aftereffect,” for example, are established enough that they don’t need the symbol, though prefixes and suffixes generally do, as with “ex-wife” and “president-elect.” Words like “anti-hunt” and “misinformed” benefit from the organizing role of the hyphen.
A dash is usually preferred if a word other than the first in a sentence is capitalized, as in “anti-Semitic,” or if the juxtaposition is confusing or hard to read without it, as with “co-op” or “anti-immigration.” .” Sometimes, more than one meaning can be inferred from words with the same letters. This is another case where a dash becomes necessary. If a person “resigns,” it means something completely different than when they “re-sign.” Also, if words appear at line breaks, they are usually split at the end of an accentuating syllable, although the rules vary on this.
The hyphen is most often seen in modern texts when two words are used as a single idea to describe a noun or pronoun. The “blue-grey sky” or the “often unsuitable academic” connect two or more words as a single adjective. Exceptions exist, though. For example, the Associated Press’ style guide urges writers to resist using a hyphen after words ending in “-ly,” as in “preposterously late student.” Also, when the compound modifier comes after the noun, the symbol is unnecessary, as in “The themes of the book were well known.”
Other uses for hyphens are commonly used, such as when noting age, such as “7 years” or when writing large numbers, such as “eighty-nine”. Some adverbs and even some nouns contain hyphens, such as “al volo” or “genero”, respectively. Hyphens are also used when a letter is joined to a word, such as “T-shirt” and “S-curve.” Again, using a dictionary will illustrate the exceptions, which tend to remove the symbol after a certain amount of accepted use, as long as the removal doesn’t create “undue” confusion.
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