Word-processing programs often generate automatic word breaks at the ends of lines. For most academic papers, it’s best to turn off this automatic hyphenation feature. For other types of writing — for example, a newsletter with several narrow columns on a page — the layout might look better with end-of-line hyphenation. If you plan to break words between two lines, you’ll need to follow a few simple rules.

Always break a word between syllables. If you’re not sure where a word’s syllables begin and end, check a dictionary. Most dictionaries use dots to show where the syllable breaks are.

Avoid adding an end-of-line hyphen to a compound that already contains a hyphen:

a govern-
ment-funded initiative

If you don’t see an easier way to correct a clumsy line break, consider revising the sentence:

an initiative
funded by the government