2.1.14
Hyphens
Hyphens
Hyphens
Hyphens are used to join words together. Hyphens tell us that 2 or more words in a sentence are linked. There are quite a few different uses of hyphens:
Compound adjectives
Compound adjectives
- Compound adjectives are linked adjectives that are used before a noun. For example:
- ‘A multi-storey building’.
- ‘A state-of-the-art design’.
- The adjectives are linked to create an overall adjective.
Avoiding confusion
Avoiding confusion
- Sometimes a hyphen helps avoid confusion when words can have more than one meaning.
- E.g. ‘John recovered the cushions’ means something different to ‘John re-covered the cushions’.
Writing on a new line
Writing on a new line
- Hyphens can be used to break up a word if it continues onto the next line.
- A hyphen can only break up a word between two syllables in a word. For example:
- It was only that night that I dis-
covered where they were hiding.
- It was only that night that I dis-
- A hyphen can only break up a word between two syllables in a word. For example:
Prefixes
Prefixes
- Hyphens are used in words that begin with the prefixes 'self', 'ex' and 'all'.
- E.g. self-assured, self-doubt.
- E.g. ex-con, ex-professional.
- E.g. all-knowing, all-expenses paid.
Hyphens in Names and Numbers
Hyphens in Names and Numbers
Hyphens are used to join words together. Hyphens tell us that 2 or more words in a sentence are linked. Here are some more examples of how you can use hyphens.
Double-barrelled last names
Double-barrelled last names
- People with double-barrelled last names use a hyphen to separate their two last names. For example:
- William Jones-Smith.
- Sandra McCartney-Philips.
Hyphens to write numbers
Hyphens to write numbers
- We use hyphens when writing numbers as words:
- Fractions (e.g. it was one-quarter of the amount).
- Compound numbers after 21 (e.g. My Dad is forty-two years old).
Hyphens for a range
Hyphens for a range
- We also use hyphens to give a range:
- Times (e.g. 9:15-10:15).
- Between numbers of people (e.g. 320-450 Americans).
- Between page numbers (e.g. p 200-250).
- Between dates (e.g. 1990-2000).
1Spelling
1.1Spelling
1.2Prefixes
1.3Suffixes
1.3.1Vowel Suffixes
1.3.2Short Vowel Suffixes
1.3.3Suffixes: '-ous'
1.3.4Rules for Suffixes: '-ous'
1.3.5Rules for Suffixes: '-ous' 2
1.3.6Suffixes: '-ly'
1.3.7Suffixes: '-ation'
1.3.8Suffixes: '-ation' 2
1.3.9Spelling: '-tion' Endings
1.3.10Spelling: '-sion' Endings
1.3.11Spelling: '-ssion' Endings
1.3.12Spelling: '-cian' Endings
1.3.13End of Topic Test - Prefixes & Suffixes
1.4Making Words Plural
1.5Homophones
1.5.1Accept & Except
1.5.2Affect & Effect
1.5.3Ball & Bawl
1.5.4Berry & Bury
1.5.5Brake & Break
1.5.6Fair & Fare
1.5.7Grate & Great
1.5.8Groan & Grown
1.5.9Hear & Here
1.5.10Heal, Heel & He'll
1.5.11Knot & Not
1.5.12Mail & Male
1.5.13Main & Mane
1.5.14Meat & Meet
1.5.15Medal & Meddle
1.5.16Missed & Mist
1.5.17Peace & Piece
1.5.18Plain & Plane
1.5.19Rain & Reign & Rein
1.5.20Scene & Seen
1.5.21Weather & Whether
1.5.22Whose & Who's
1.5.23End of Topic Test - Homophones
1.6Word Meanings
2Punctuation
2.1Punctuation
2.1.1Full Stops
2.1.2Capital Letters
2.1.3Commas
2.1.4Commas 2
2.1.5Using Apostrophes with Regular Plurals
2.1.6Using Apostrophes with Irregular Plurals
2.1.7Question Marks & Exclamation Marks
2.1.8Brackets
2.1.9Dashes
2.1.10Colon
2.1.11Semi-Colon
2.1.12Direct Speech
2.1.13Indirect Speech
2.1.14Hyphens
2.1.15Ellipses
2.1.16End of Topic Test - Punctuation
2.1.17End of Topic Test - Punctuation 2
2.2Writing Structure
3Grammar
3.1Word Classes
3.3Writing Coherently
3.4Verbs
3.5Modal Verbs
3.6Phrasal Verbs
3.7Subjunctive Verbs
3.8Sentences
3.8.1Subject of a Sentence
3.8.2Object of a Sentence
3.8.3Main & Subordinate Clauses
3.8.4Simple Sentences & Compound Sentences
3.8.5Complex Sentences
3.8.6Relative Clauses
3.8.7Relative Clauses Without Relative Pronouns
3.8.8Participle Clauses
3.8.9Run-on Sentences
3.8.10Sentence Functions
3.8.11End of Topic Test - Sentences
3.9Tenses
3.10Adverbials
3.11Language Techniques
Jump to other topics
1Spelling
1.1Spelling
1.2Prefixes
1.3Suffixes
1.3.1Vowel Suffixes
1.3.2Short Vowel Suffixes
1.3.3Suffixes: '-ous'
1.3.4Rules for Suffixes: '-ous'
1.3.5Rules for Suffixes: '-ous' 2
1.3.6Suffixes: '-ly'
1.3.7Suffixes: '-ation'
1.3.8Suffixes: '-ation' 2
1.3.9Spelling: '-tion' Endings
1.3.10Spelling: '-sion' Endings
1.3.11Spelling: '-ssion' Endings
1.3.12Spelling: '-cian' Endings
1.3.13End of Topic Test - Prefixes & Suffixes
1.4Making Words Plural
1.5Homophones
1.5.1Accept & Except
1.5.2Affect & Effect
1.5.3Ball & Bawl
1.5.4Berry & Bury
1.5.5Brake & Break
1.5.6Fair & Fare
1.5.7Grate & Great
1.5.8Groan & Grown
1.5.9Hear & Here
1.5.10Heal, Heel & He'll
1.5.11Knot & Not
1.5.12Mail & Male
1.5.13Main & Mane
1.5.14Meat & Meet
1.5.15Medal & Meddle
1.5.16Missed & Mist
1.5.17Peace & Piece
1.5.18Plain & Plane
1.5.19Rain & Reign & Rein
1.5.20Scene & Seen
1.5.21Weather & Whether
1.5.22Whose & Who's
1.5.23End of Topic Test - Homophones
1.6Word Meanings
2Punctuation
2.1Punctuation
2.1.1Full Stops
2.1.2Capital Letters
2.1.3Commas
2.1.4Commas 2
2.1.5Using Apostrophes with Regular Plurals
2.1.6Using Apostrophes with Irregular Plurals
2.1.7Question Marks & Exclamation Marks
2.1.8Brackets
2.1.9Dashes
2.1.10Colon
2.1.11Semi-Colon
2.1.12Direct Speech
2.1.13Indirect Speech
2.1.14Hyphens
2.1.15Ellipses
2.1.16End of Topic Test - Punctuation
2.1.17End of Topic Test - Punctuation 2
2.2Writing Structure
3Grammar
3.1Word Classes
3.3Writing Coherently
3.4Verbs
3.5Modal Verbs
3.6Phrasal Verbs
3.7Subjunctive Verbs
3.8Sentences
3.8.1Subject of a Sentence
3.8.2Object of a Sentence
3.8.3Main & Subordinate Clauses
3.8.4Simple Sentences & Compound Sentences
3.8.5Complex Sentences
3.8.6Relative Clauses
3.8.7Relative Clauses Without Relative Pronouns
3.8.8Participle Clauses
3.8.9Run-on Sentences
3.8.10Sentence Functions
3.8.11End of Topic Test - Sentences
3.9Tenses
3.10Adverbials
3.11Language Techniques
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