Hyphenation can be tricky, but mastering it will make your writing clearer, more professional, and easier to read. Whether you're writing a book or thesis, creating website content, or crafting marketing materials, proper hyphenation can ensure your documents are polished and error-free.
At KT Proofreading, I know how important it is to get every detail right, from punctuation to grammar, spelling to hyphenation. As a sole trader, I personally review every document to ensure the highest level of accuracy. In this post, I’ll walk you through the rules of hyphenating words and when to use hyphens in your writing, along with some helpful examples.
What is hyphenation?
Hyphenation is the process of connecting two or more words with a hyphen (-) to create a compound word or modify a noun. While it may seem like a small detail, hyphenation affects the clarity of your writing. Using hyphens incorrectly or omitting them can lead to confusion and even change the meaning of a phrase.
For instance, “small business owner” and “small-business owner” may appear similar, but the second one clearly refers to a specific kind of owner (someone who owns a small business, rather than a business owner who happens to be short in stature).
Or, "six-year-old girls" and "six year-old girls". In the first example you have girls who are six years old, in the second you have six girls who are one year old.
Which would you prefer to run into on the street: "a man eating chicken", or "a man-eating chicken"?
Hyphenation helps to create precision in your writing.
When to hyphenate words: The rules
There are several key rules to follow when deciding whether to hyphenate words. Below are the most common guidelines for correct hyphenation.
1. Compound adjectives before a noun
Hyphenate compound adjectives that appear before a noun to avoid confusion. These adjectives combine two or more words to describe something more precisely.
Examples:
A well-established company
A high-quality service
A four-step process
Notice that when these compound adjectives follow the noun, they are not hyphenated:
The company is well established.
The process has four steps.
2. Numbers and fractions
Hyphenate compound numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine, as well as fractions when they are used as adjectives.
Examples:
A twenty-four hour service
A three-fourths majority
A fifty-six page document
However, you do not hyphenate numbers when they appear on their own (e.g., "The meeting is at three o’clock", not "three-o’clock").
3. Two-word adjectives (not commonly used together)
In cases where two words create a unique adjective, using a hyphen shows that they work together as a single idea.
Examples:
First-class ticket
State-of-the-art technology
Full-time job
But when these phrases are used without the noun they modify, the hyphen is unnecessary:
The ticket was first class.
The technology is state of the art.
4. Avoiding ambiguity
In certain cases, hyphens help to avoid ambiguity. Without them, the meaning of the phrase can change entirely, as in the man-eating chicken example.
Examples:
Re-form (to form again) vs. reform (to change for the better)
Co-op (a cooperative business) vs. coop (a chicken house)
Re-sign (to sign again) vs. resign (to quit a job)
5. Compound nouns (some require hyphens)
While many compound nouns are written without hyphens, some require them for clarity or due to long-standing conventions.
Examples:
Mother-in-law
Editor-in-chief
One-off event
However, when these compound nouns are used in a general context, they often don’t need hyphens:
She is my mother in law.
He is the editor in chief.
When not to hyphenate
Not all compound words require hyphenation. Here are some cases when hyphens are not needed:
1. Compound nouns made with simple words
Many compound nouns don’t need a hyphen, especially when the combination of words is commonly used together.
Examples:
Haircut
Bookstore
Football
2. Adverbs ending in “-ly”
Adverbs ending in “-ly” are typically not hyphenated, even if they are part of a compound adjective.
Examples:
A quickly moving car (not quickly-moving)
A beautifully designed website (not beautifully-designed)
3. Certain prefixes
Many prefixes, such as un-, re-, pre-, and mis-, do not require hyphens.
Examples:
Unnecessary
Reinforce
Preorder
Misunderstand
However, you might use hyphens in cases where the word would be confusing or awkward without one. For instance:
Re-enter (to enter again)
Pre-existing (existing before)
Common mistakes to avoid when hyphenating words
One of the most frequent mistakes in hyphenation occurs when words that don’t need a hyphen are mistakenly joined, leading to unnecessary confusion. For instance, compound adjectives like "high school" and "ice cream" do not require hyphens, yet many writers incorrectly hyphenate them as "high-school" or "ice-cream". Another common error happens with prefixes; words such as "unnecessary" or "preorder" should not have a hyphen, but they’re often miswritten as "un-necessary" or "pre-order". Conversely, some words that do need a hyphen may be mistakenly written without one. For example, “re-sign” (to sign again) should be hyphenated to distinguish it from “resign” (to quit a job). It’s important to know when hyphens are necessary and when they are not to ensure your writing is clear and error-free.
How KT Proofreading can help with hyphenation
As a professional proofreader and editor, I personally ensure your documents adhere to the highest standards of grammar, punctuation, and style. Hyphenation is just one of the many details I check when proofreading books, academic papers, business reports, website content, and more.
Correct hyphenation plays an essential role in improving the clarity of your writing and preventing misunderstandings. Whether you're working on a blog post, a research paper, or marketing materials, I will help you maintain consistency and ensure your content is polished.
Conclusion: Mastering hyphenation for clear, professional writing
Hyphenation may seem like a small part of writing, but it plays a huge role in ensuring your content is clear, accurate, and professional. Whether you’re writing for business, academia, or personal projects, it’s crucial to follow the rules of hyphenation to avoid confusion and convey your message effectively.
If you want to ensure your writing is error-free, consistent, and easy to read, consider working with a professional proofreading service like KT Proofreading. I’ll help you polish every aspect of your document, including hyphenation, to make sure your content stands out for all the right reasons.
I hope you've found this article helpful, but if you still aren't sure which words to hyphenate, a professional proofreader like me can help polish your prose and make your writing the best it can be. Get in touch today to see how I can help.
Photo by Ben Moreland on Unsplash.
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