PUNCTUATION
Sentence Enders
The Stop Signs of Punctuation
The three punctuation marks that bring sentences to an end are the period, the question mark, and the exclamation pont.
The main function of the hyphen is to combine the syllables of a multi-syllable word into a so-called compound word.
Zeroing In
The hyphen is often confused with the em dash (—), but it differs from the em dash in two key ways: (1) It is not as wide; and (2) rather than separating words or groups of words from one another (that’s the main job of the em-dash) it combines two or more words into a single word, otherwise known a compound noun or compound adjective.
Zeroing In
A compound adjective brings together a noun and adjective to form a single word. It can take one of two forms: (1) the adjective followed by a noun; or (2) the noun followed by the adjective.
Hyphenated version: We need a camera-ready image (The hyphens convert “ready for the camera” into a single adjective.)
Individual words: We need an image that is ready for the camera.
Hyphenated version: We need a camera-ready image (The hyphens convert “ready for the camera” into a single adjective.)
Creating Compound Nouns
The noun first. We need an image that is ready for the camera.
Hyphenated version: We need a camera-ready image (The hyphens convert “ready for the camera” into a single adjective.)
Adjective first. sharp tongued, middle-0aged high-priced
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- To form a compound modifier. A compound modifier combines two adjectives into a single modifier.
Two or more adjectives operating as a single modifier.
Hyphenated version: We need a camera-ready image (The hyphens convert “ready for the camera” into a single adjective.)
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Individual words: The latest report, which we will be releasing soon is likely to create problems.
Hyphenated version: The soon-to-be-released report is likely to create problems.
Where hyphens don’t belong.
Hyphens should not be used in the following situations:
Between an adverb and an adjective: When an adjective that modifies a noun is itself being modified by an adverb, there’s no need for a hyphen.
Instead of: We received this strongly worded report two weeks ago. (Strongly is modifying the adjective “worded”, which modifies “report”.
Instead of: We received this strongly [no hyphen] worded report two weeks ago.
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This: We are expecting a three-week delay The two adjectives are now operate as of delay.
____________________________________________________Apart from its primary function, the Other uses of the hyphen include the following:
- To separate certain prefixes and suffixes from certain words that begin with either or the two. Examples in (self-service, ex-office.
- To convert two-digit numbers words, as in “(21) twenty-one”; “(42)”forty-two”, and “(65) sixty-five”.
- Convert the separate numerators and denominators in fractions into words, as in “one-third”, “one-half”, and “five-tenths”.
- To separate a word that is too long to fit on a line into two syllables—one at the end of a line and other at the start of next line.