Also
see
the
Dashes
section
of
SIMStylebook.com.
Hyphens
cause
problems
and
confusion
out
of
proportion
to
their
size.
Contributing
to
that
confusion
is
a
lack
of
consensus
among
experts
on
the
proper
use
of
hyphens.
The
following
rules
should
eliminate
much
of
the
confusion,
as
well
as
the
misspellings
that
often
occur
as
a
result
of
incorrect
hyphen
use.
Use
a
hyphen
for
a
verb
of
two
or
more
words
that
form
a
single
thought.
She
double-spaced
the
copy.
Use
a
hyphen
in
a
one-thought
compound
modifier
placed
before
the
noun
it
modifies.
double-spaced
copy
18th-century
design
a
three-piece
suit
a
factory-built
home
Use
a
hyphen
for
a
one-thought
compound
modifier
of
more
than
two
words
placed
before
the
noun
it
modifies.
a
fool-the-eye
design
tongue-and-groove
construction
an
up-to-date
design
do-it-yourself
paneling
11⁄2-story-house
(not
story-and-a-half-house)
Multiple
hyphens
make
it
difficult
for
readers.
Look
for
ways
to
rewrite
for
clarity
and
readability
as
well
as
simplicity.
Rarely,
you
may
use
a
multiple-hyphen
phrase
specifically
for
the
effect.
An
out-of-India-by-way-of-Oregon
garden
…
might
become
This
Oregon
garden’s
style
comes
straight
out
of
India.
The
singing
sensation-turned-interior-designer
…
might
become
Once
a
singing
sensation,
she
turned
her
attention
to
interior
design.
Use
a
hyphen
when
a
number
and
a
noun
form
a
one-thought
modifier
before
another
noun.
100-percent-cotton
fabric
100
percent
cotton
Omit
a
hyphen
with
a
compound
modifier
that
contains
an
adverb
ending
in
ly.
a
hastily
executed
project
Hyphenate
compound
adjectives
that
consist
of
a
noun
plus
an
adjective,
such
as
tax-exempt,
machine-washable,
or
ice-cold,
whether
they
are
before
or
after
the
verb.
The
energy-efficient
glass
has
a
high
R-value.
The
coating
makes
the
glass
energy-efficient.
The
weather-resistant
finish
makes
the
furniture
durable.
The
siding
is
maintenance-free.
Always
hyphenate
well
compounds
before
a
noun.
Hyphenate
after
a
noun
if
preceded
by
a
linking
verb.
The
well-known
speaker
came
to
town.
The
well-organized
team
completed
the
task
quickly.
The
team
was
well-organized.
She
seems
well-spoken.
Use
the
hyphen
when
odd
or
plus
is
added
to
a
cardinal
number.
30-odd
years
ago
50-plus
books
Use
a
hyphen
with
spelled-out
fractions.
Flowers
are
grown
in
two-thirds
of
the
garden.
Use
an
en
dash
(option
hyphen)
to
indicate
ranges
of
percentages.
a
30–40
percent
increase
75–90
percent
of
homeowners
Some
adjectives
are
always
hyphenated,
regardless
of
their
position
in
a
sentence.
(Consult
a
dictionary
or
the
Word
List.)
Though
good-looking,
the
project
was
time-consuming.
up-to-date
step-by-step
Omit
a
hyphen
with
a
proper
noun
used
as
an
adjective.
a
Park
Avenue
address
a
Supreme
Court
decision
Omit
a
hyphen
when
a
well-established
compound
noun
functions
as
an
adjective.
acoustical tile ceiling
art supply stores
bay window curtains
crafts supply stores
dining room table
flea market find
folk art collection
food preparation area
glass block wall
grand prize winner
home center product
home improvement loan
home office space
intensive care unit
life insurance agent
microwave oven shelf
plastic canvas crafts
sliding glass door
sour cream sauce
wall covering design
whole grain bread
whole wheat rolls
However, when a well-established compound noun is combined with a participle to form a one-thought modifier, a hyphen is required before the participle. These open compound modifiers are often proper noun forms.
Art Deco-style chair
ice cream-covered counters
New York-based designer
Pulitzer Prize-winning play
Queen Anne-style house
Never hyphenate a word at the end of a page; try to avoid hyphenating the last word in a column.
Hyphens,
SR14.1
Line-break rules, SR14.2
Prefixes, SR14.3
Suffixes, SR 14.4
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