* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Download Hyphens
Navajo grammar wikipedia , lookup
Old Norse morphology wikipedia , lookup
Ojibwe grammar wikipedia , lookup
Agglutination wikipedia , lookup
Georgian grammar wikipedia , lookup
Old Irish grammar wikipedia , lookup
Japanese grammar wikipedia , lookup
Comparison (grammar) wikipedia , lookup
Modern Hebrew grammar wikipedia , lookup
Swedish grammar wikipedia , lookup
Portuguese grammar wikipedia , lookup
Morphology (linguistics) wikipedia , lookup
Kannada grammar wikipedia , lookup
Macedonian grammar wikipedia , lookup
Untranslatability wikipedia , lookup
Serbo-Croatian grammar wikipedia , lookup
Lithuanian grammar wikipedia , lookup
Zulu grammar wikipedia , lookup
Chinese grammar wikipedia , lookup
Spanish grammar wikipedia , lookup
Russian declension wikipedia , lookup
Romanian numbers wikipedia , lookup
Arabic grammar wikipedia , lookup
Italian grammar wikipedia , lookup
French grammar wikipedia , lookup
Determiner phrase wikipedia , lookup
Compound (linguistics) wikipedia , lookup
Latin syntax wikipedia , lookup
Ancient Greek grammar wikipedia , lookup
Vietnamese grammar wikipedia , lookup
Scottish Gaelic grammar wikipedia , lookup
Esperanto grammar wikipedia , lookup
Yiddish grammar wikipedia , lookup
Polish grammar wikipedia , lookup
Pipil grammar wikipedia , lookup
English grammar wikipedia , lookup
-------------------------------------- Hyphens Angela Gulick CAS Writing Specialist June 2015 Hyphens ----------------------- Hyphens (-) are used in several different ways: Use 1: Use a hyphen to connect or “stitch” words together that you want to be read as a unit. These words will form a single concept that describes the following word. However, if this description comes after the word it describes, do not use a hyphen. My eleven-year-old nephew got a new IPAD, and I am jealous! >>>In this case, I’m not saying my eleven nephew, my year nephew or my old nephew. I am saying my eleven-yearold (one concept) nephew. My nephew who is eleven years old got a new IPAD, and I am jealous. >>>In this case, since the words describing the noun (nephew) come after the noun, no hyphen is needed. Hyphens ----------------------- Here is another example: My new 16-gallon fish tank exploded all over the floor last night. >>>In this case, I am not saying a 16 tank or a gallon tank. I am saying a 16-gallon (one concept) tank. My new fish tank that is 16 gallons exploded all over the floor last night. >>>In this case, since the words describing the noun (fish tank) come after the noun, no hyphen is needed. Hyphens A quick caution about hyphens: Hyphens are used with adjectives and nouns, but they are not used with adverbs (words that describe or further define verbs). Even though the hyphen rule seems like it should apply here, it doesn’t because what is being described is the verb (the action), not the noun (the thing). The quickly moving train flew past the station, and only Denzel Washington could save the day! >> You don’t need a hyphen here between quickly and moving because quickly is describing the verb moving, not the noun train. My student’s hastily written research paper made me want to cry. >> You don’t need a hyphen here between hastily and written because hastily is describing the verb written, not the noun paper. Hyphens ----------------------- Use 2. Use a hyphen to indicate a group of words that are always joined. Here are some examples: merry-go-round, editor-in-chief, mother-in-law. The best step here is to look up the words in the dictionary to see if they are separate words, words that are hyphenated, or one word. Some words come in a variety of forms. For example, consider these four sentences: I try to work out every other day, at least. >>> In this sentence, “work out” is used as a verb (an action). I had a really good workout this morning >>> In this sentence, “workout” is used as a noun (a thing). These are my favorite workout clothes and routines. >>> In this sentence, “workout” is used as an adjective (a word which further describes the words “clothes and routines.”) I hope that my husband and I can work out our problems. >>> In this sentence, “work out” is used as a verb (an action). Hyphens ----------------------- Use 3. Use a hyphen to write out numbers and fractions. Use hyphens for all numbers from twenty-one through ninety-nine. >>> I can’t believe I spent seventy-five dollars on a new collar for my dog. Use hyphens for all spelled-out fractions. >>> One-third of all students who revise their assignments earn one letter grade higher for the entire class. >>> I asked my hair dresser to cut off one-half inch, but she measured incorrectly and cut off three-and-one-half inches. Do You Still Have Questions? If you still have questions, please stop by the Writing Lab (D120) or check out our list of writing workshops on the CAS Resources page. Here are additional websites that can help you with grammar, punctuation, and mechanics issues. The first two links with ’s also have online exercises with answer keys to help you practice. Grammar Bytes Note: This site might require you to download a small program onto your computer the first time you use it. Guide to Grammar and Writing Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) Grammar Girl The Blue Book of Grammar