Hyphen

HYPHENS TO JOIN WORDS THAT FORM A SINGLE DESCRIPTION

Use a hyphen to join words that together form a single description of a person, place, or thing.

If you are unsure about whether or how to hyphenate a word or phrase, consult a dictionary or your instructor.

The eighty-year-old smoker was considered a high-risk patient.

HYPHENS TO DIVIDE A WORD AT THE END OF A LINE

Use a hyphen to divide a word when part of the word must continue on the next line. Most word-processing programs do this automatically, but if you are writing by hand, you need to insert hyphens yourself.

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If you are not sure where to break a word, look it up in a dictionary. The word’s main entry will show you where you can break the word: dic • tion • ar • y.