This document defines hyphens and provides examples of their proper usage. Hyphens are used to break single words into parts or join separate words. Spaces should not be placed between a hyphen and the words it connects, except for hanging hyphens used at the end of a line. Examples are given such as self-evident, award-winning, and un-American. The document also distinguishes hyphens from dashes and minus signs.
2. DEFINITION
Hyphens are mostly used to break
single words into parts, or to join
ordinarily separate words into
single words. Spaces should not be
placed between a hyphen and
either of the words it connects
except when using a "hanging"
hyphen (e.g. nineteenth- and
twentieth-century).
3. EXAMPLES
clear-headed
low-budget
part-time
full-time Example of ‘Off the Page’ hyphen
mother-in-law Terri-
twenty-one fying
ex-wife
self-evident
cross-reference
X-ray
time-sensitive
award-winning
un-American
self-respect, self-assured, self-control etc.
4. SOME MORE DEFINING
The hyphen (‐) is a mark used to join words
and break sentences in a text which are
not the same. It is also used when a word
is too big to fit on a page (a hanging
hyphen). When you use a hyphen, it’s
called hyphenation. The hyphen is
sometimes confused with dashes (‒, –, —,
―), which are longer and have different
uses, or with the minus sign (−) which is
also longer and used in a completely
different way.
7. How to make other dashes
To make – You have to put the – in between two
word, with a space at each end.
To make-you have to put the – in between two words
WITHOUT ANY SPACES.
To make _ you have to hold the “Shift” button while
pressing -.
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