In October, we covered some hyphen basics. This month, more hyphen tips.

More Hyphen Uses

• With the names of compound numbers from 21–99 and written fractions:

thirty-three                           eighty-seventh          five-eighths

six and two-thirds                fifty-four and three-fourths

• With numbers showing age or time:

ten-year-old spelling champ                      18- to 22-year-old undergraduates

two- to three-year period                            a 47-year marriage

• with highways and to designate aircraft:

I-805                F-16

Hyphens with Verbs, Nouns, Adjectives

•  If you’re thinking “action,” skip the hyphen. Make most compound verbs two words.

Back up your computer documents.

Pick up your room.

• Link the words in compound nouns and adjectives, either as a single word or with a hyphen.

Take this offramp [noun] for the off-road [adjective] rally.

You can borrow my pickup [noun] to haul the manure.

Provide backup [noun] for the back-up [adjective] team.

(While most dictionaries list the noun backup as a single word, a few recognize back-up. Just don’t use the two-word verb “back up” when you mean the noun. Write “The spy called for backup” (or back-up), not “The spy called for back up.”

(You’ll find more on two-word verbs like these, called phrasal verbs, in More Nitty-Gritty Grammar, page 131, including a Calvin and Hobbes cartoon!)

Hyphens—All in the Family

How do you hyphenate words for family relationships?

• Use hyphens for most relationship words:

daughters-in-law                  great-uncle                sister-in-law

(We know you remember how to pluralize compound words like these. You wouldn’t say “greats-uncle,” so don’t say “sister-in-laws.” Make the important word plural: great-uncles, sisters-in-law.)

• Use two words, no hyphen, with “half”:

half brother                           half sister

• No hyphen with “grand” or “step.” Make those one word:

grandmother                         grandfather               stepmom

Hyphenating Job Titles

While many job titles are hyphenated (attorney-at-law), editor in chief and commander in chief (or Commander in Chief) are not. With other compound words, don’t be surprised if you find hyphen disagreements from dictionary to dictionary.

What’s a person to do?

Choose one—and be consistent. Note that Americans tend to hyphenate much less than British, Canadians, and Australians. This explains the inconsistencies between English published in America and abroad.

“Well-” Words Before Nouns

Use a hyphen after “well” when the compound appears before the noun it modifies.

well-written satire                well-oiled machine              well-known person

“Well-” Words with “To Be” Verbs

Drop the hyphen in “well-” adjectives if they follow a “to be” verb.

Praise for Faith Hill’s signing at the Oscars was well earned.

Ask the Grammar Patrol

That’s it from the hyphen department. Your reward? We wish you a yummy chocolate-filled truffle for your hyphen use that is well considered. Remember to post your grammar queries—overheard gaffes, puzzlers, goofy signs . . .

See you next month . . .

In a variation of Will Shakespeare’s oft-quoted phrase, “To hyphenate or not to hyphenate?—that is the question.”

We’ve chatted before on this blog about hyphens versus em dashes (—) and en dashes (–). See  Ems and Ens for Writers Tuesday, May 1st, 2012.

This month we’ll focus on the little guys, hyphens.

Hyphens (-) link words together and can help avoid confusion.

“Running mate” needs no hyphen, but does as an adjective, as in “running-mate criteria.” The hyphen shows that “mate” goes with “running,” not “criteria.” Think smoke-free airport, self-help books, cell-phone plans.

When to Use Hyphens        

• With some prefixes, especially when the root word is capitalized:

self-discovery, ex-president, pre-Oscar party, pre-Jurassic era, mid-January

• With blended double surnames:

Ochoa-Roberts                       Greenfield-Martin

• With compound modifiers:

a can’t-miss putt                      a first-ever book contract

Alas, hyphens don’t always stick to the rules. Different current dictionaries recognize both mouthwatering (no hyphen) and mouth-watering (with hyphen) as adjectives. Work-release has a hyphen; workroom does not. Witch-hunt, yes. Witchcraft, no.  Go figure!

“Re-”

Words and Hyphens

The prefix “re-“ means “again.” But a hyphen can change the meaning of a word: re-count (count again) vs. recount (tell in detail)

In one of our grammar classes, a man told a story that highlights the difference a hyphen can make. His boss sent the man an email asking him to re-send her some information. He faxed it, then emailed her, “I resent it.” When the boss returned to the office, she asked, “Jason, why did you resent sending me that information again?” (Jason had typed “resent” for “re-sent.”)

Many words that start with the prefix “re-” don’t require a hyphen: recrown, redrawn, rehire, reheat, repaint, repurpose. But be careful to note when omitting the hyphen changes the meaning of the word:

“represent” (to stand for) or “re-present” (to present again)

“repose” (calmness) or “re-pose” (to pose again)

“reprove” (to rebuke) or “re-prove” (to prove again)

“resort” (n., vacation spot; v., to go or turn to) or “re-sort” (to sort again)

“restrain” (to hold back) or “re-strain” (to strain again)

Tricky Hyphen Issues

Does a toddler pick up her toys, pick-up her toys, or pickup her toys?

Do you hanker for a bright red pickup truck, pick-up truck, or pick up truck?

The answers are trickier than you might think. Words are constantly evolving and some lose their hyphens and become single words.

(Did you know the answer? You pick up toys in a pickup truck.)

Please Comment

We hope this review helped you pick up some hyphen pointers. The Grammar Patrol has done in-depth hyphen explorations for the biographies and other books we’ve both written. Hope you’ll avoid mix-ups and not be mixed up when it comes to hyphens. Love your well-polished comments—chime in. As always, you can check out our two handy grammar guides: Nitty-Gritty Grammar and More Nitty-Gritty Grammar for details.