Hyphenation is a process of adding hyphens ( - ) between words to enhance readability and make it easier to understand the meaning of a sentence. It can also be used to improve the flow of a sentence by breaking it up into smaller parts. Hyphens can also be used to form compound adjectives, such as "well-known," or to make words easier to read, such as "co-worker."
Hyphenation is an important part of the English language and is often used in writing. It can be used to add clarity to a sentence, to break up long words, or to form compound adjectives. Hyphens are also used to join two words together to form a single word, such as "e-mail" or "mother-in-law."
When To Use Hyphens
Hyphens should be used to join two words when they are used together as an adjective. For example, "a well-known author" or "an old-fashioned ice cream parlor." Hyphens should also be used when two words are being used together as a single unit, such as "e-mail" or "mother-in-law."
It is important to note that hyphens should not be used to join words that are already part of a compound word, such as "bookcase" or "fireplace." Hyphens should also not be used to separate syllables of the same word, such as "co-worker" or "e-mail."
Examples of Hyphenated Words
Some examples of hyphenated words include:
- Well-known
- Old-fashioned
- Mother-in-law
- State-of-the-art
- Full-time
- Un-American
- Anti-government
- Co-worker
- Re-election
- Sub-contractor
- Non-profit
- Self-employed
- Pre-school
- Mid-morning
- Multi-ethnic
When Not To Use Hyphens
Hyphens should not be used when two words are being used together as a single unit, such as "bookcase" or "fireplace." Hyphens should also not be used to separate syllables of the same word, such as "co-worker" or "e-mail." Hyphens should also not be used to form compound adjectives when the meaning of the words is clear without the hyphen, such as "well known author" or "old fashioned ice cream parlor."
How to Hyphenate
When hyphenating a word, it is important to consider the context of the sentence. If the meaning of the word is clear without the hyphen, then it is best to leave it out. If the meaning is unclear or the word is being used as a compound adjective, then it is best to use a hyphen. It is also important to consider the length of the word and how it will look when hyphenated. For example, a long word that is broken up with a hyphen may look awkward and should be avoided.
Summary
Hyphenation is an important part of the English language and is often used in writing. It can be used to add clarity to a sentence, to break up long words, or to form compound adjectives. Hyphens should be used to join two words when they are used together as an adjective, such as “well-known author” or “old-fashioned ice cream parlor.” Hyphens should also be used when two words are being used together as a single unit, such as “e-mail” or “mother-in-law.” Hyphens should not be used when the meaning of the words is clear without the hyphen, such as “well known author” or “old fashioned ice cream parlor.” Hyphens should also not be used to separate syllables of the same word, such as “co-worker” or “e-mail.” When hyphenating a word, it is important to consider the context of the sentence and the length of the word.
