Do you know what a hyphen is? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on hyphen, including its definition, usage, example sentences, and more!
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According to Collins English Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, and the American Heritage Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, a hyphen is a punctuation mark that is used to join two words to make a compound word – this can be a compound adjective or compound nouns. You would not use a hyphen after an adverb ends in ly. You would not use the hyphen at the end of a line – for this, use an em dash. The hyphen is considered a compound modifier, and can be used with prefix in some cases, like the prefix self, prefix ex, anti or hypo. Hyphen use can prevent confusion, add clarity to the entire word, as well as form a new word with a different meaning. The hyphen is found on the numeric keypad as well as a minus sign. After the prefix ends (usually a one-syllable word), the second element is consisting of the larger subject, common base, or root word. Other punctuations include colon, parentheses, semicolon, or comma which indicates a pause.
What are examples of hyphens?
Hyphens can be used in many different contexts in the English language. Trying to use a word or grammatical technique in a sentence is one of the best ways to memorize what it is, but you can also try making flashcards or quizzes that test your knowledge. Try using this term of the day in a sentence today! Below are a couple of examples of hyphens that can help get you started incorporating this tool into your everyday use. Take a look at these hyphen examples from Your Dictionary and Helping with Writing and see how many you can identify the hyphen in!
There are many different grammar terms and devices that you might need to know when you are reading prose or poetry. It is important to recognize these terms because they are always used for some purpose. Knowing these terms can help readers understand basics of English grammar as well as the author’s deeper meaning and why they are using grammar in such a way. Take a look at the below list of grammatical devices from OED and see how many you know! Then try researching ones that are unfamiliar to you.
Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do's and don'ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.
Kevin
November 11, 2021
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