Open Writing Lab Hyphens CGB **use is continually evolving check!

Using hyphens … 1.Language in transition: 2 words often used together used with a hyphen becomes a compound word sea floor sea-floor seafloor deep sea deep-sea deepsea health care health-care healthcare

Using hyphens … 2. When 2 or more words form a single adjective or noun: red-haired, know-it-all, round-the-island, light-year, has-been, well-known, well-established He was well known. / The well-known professor … The rule was well established. / … breaking the well-established rule NB. The book cost ten dollars. It was a ten-dollar book.

Using hyphens … 3. When there are several modifiers, to make the meaning less ambiguous: low-frequency amplitudes, low- and high-frequency amplitudes

Using hyphens … 4. Modifiers with numbers and units: 5-g dose, 50-km radius **3-year-old child

Using hyphens … 5. Sometimes with prefixes: ex- self- all- pre- quasi- pre-Columbian, sub-Saharan Africa, self-inflicted **In scientific writing more common to nonhyphenate cooperate, coordinate

Using hyphens … 6. When there is a potential for visual confusions because of repeated letters: meta-analysis shell-like semi-independent micro-organisms

Using hyphens … 7. Sometimes verbs need hyphens to indicate correct meaning: He re-covered the explored well. / He recovered quickly from the race. Such patients are usually re-treated. / The water retreated from the structures.

Using hyphens … 8. E-terms: where “e” stands for “electronic” , e-commerce

Or not using hyphens … 1. When a compound modifier contains an adverb that ends in –ly, the two words are never hyphenated. highly motivated, easily distracted

Or not using hyphens … 2. Some well-established terms drop the hyphen: freezing point determination, amino acid residues, …

Or not using hyphens … 3. For Latin phrases used adjectivally: a post hoc hypothesis in vitro testing a quid pro quo arrangement

Or not using hyphens … 4. For letters used as modifiers in scientific terms: LE cells / LE-cell rosettes T lymphocytes / T-cell lymphocyte functions

Or not using hyphens … 5. Compound modifiers involving a comparative or superlative adjective: better adjusted children least favourable outcome

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