HYPHENS TO JOIN WORDS THAT FORM A SINGLE DESCRIPTION

Writers often join two or more words that together form a single description of a person, place, or thing. To join the words, use a hyphen.

Being a stockbroker is a high-risk career.

Jill is a lovely three-year-old girl.

When writing out two-word numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine, put a hyphen between the two words.

Seventy-five people participated in the demonstration.

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.

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. If you still are not confident that you are putting the hyphen in the correct place, do not break the word; write it all on the next line.