The Hyphen

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The rules for hyphenating at line endings are so complicated that I really don’t expectyou to keep track of them. I am going to teach them anyway, but you really shouldn’t be in a situation where you have to hyphenate at line-breaks.

Dividing Words at End of Line

Hyphens are used to divide words at the end of a line when the word cannot fit on the remainder of the line.

Remember itt is best not to divide a word this way. If necessary for considerations of space or format, there are seven rules to follow.

1. Divide the word between syllables. This means, of course, that one-syllable words are never divided.

Incorrect: / Incorrect: / Correct:
sp-
orts / su-
pport / sup-
port

2. The hyphen goes at the end of the first line.

Incorrect: / Correct:
sup
-port / sup-
port

3. Prefixes and suffixes make natural divisions.

Incorrect: / Correct:
in-
ternational / inter-
national

(The prefix is inter.)

4. There should be at least two letters plus the hyphen on the first line and three letters on the second.

Incorrect: / Incorrect: / Correct:
e-
lect / supposed-
ly / sup-
posedly

5. Do not divide proper nouns or proper adjectives.

Incorrect: / Correct:
Wash-
ington / Washington

6. Divide hyphenated word using the hyphen already in the word.

Incorrect: / Correct:
moth-
er-in-law / mother-
in-law

7. Do not divide a word at the end of a line if the parts of the word will be on two separate pages. This is hard for the reader to follow.

Hyphens have other uses:

  1. creating compound words, particularly modifiers before nouns (the well-known actor, my six-year-old daughter, the out-of-date curriculum
  2. writing numbers twenty-one to ninety-nine and fractions (five-eighths, one-fourth)
  3. creating compounds on-the-fly for fly-by-night organizations
  4. adding certain prefixes to words: When a prefix comes before a capitalized word or the prefix is capitalized, use a hyphen (non-English, A-frame, I-formation). The prefixes self-, all-, and ex- nearly always require a hyphen (ex-husband, all-inclusive, self-control), and when the prefix ends with the same letter that begins the word, you will often use a hyphen (anti-intellectual, de-emphasize), but not always (unnatural, coordinate, cooperate). By all means, use a good dictionary when in doubt!
  5. There is no space between a hyphen and the character on either side of it.

The Proper Usage of Hyphens

Some Rules to remember:

(1)Use a hyphen with the prefixes ex-, self-, all-, anti-, pro and great- and with the suffixes –elect and -free.

Examples: anti-war, great-grandmother, president-elect

(2)Use a hyphen with compound numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine

(3)Use a hyphen to join nouns of equal importance

Examples: writer-illustrator, actor-director

(4)Use a hyphen to join a multi-adjective word or a word proceeded by two or more modifiers

Examples:soft-hearted neighbor, middle-class family, a bold-beautiful painting, a driven-determined student

Please correct the bold words in each sentence by adding the proper hyphen(s).

1. Tim is now thirty three years old. ______

2. The knock down drag out movie was a big hit. ______

3. Twenty two students received awards. ______

4. Anti itch cream will help your rash. ______

5. My great aunt traveled all over the world. ______

6. Do you have any fat free yogurt? ______

7. I hope you all have positive self esteem. ______

8. Today you will learn so much in our two hour long class. ______

9. Kelly is a singer songwriter. ______

10. S.E. Hinton is a well known author. ______

11. I love this warm sunny day. ______