What does a hyphen do?
A hyphen - joins words together so they work as one word. It’s shorter than a dash and has no spaces around it.
When to use a hyphen
| Use | Examples |
|---|---|
| Two words describing a noun that comes after them | a well-known author, a long-term plan, an old-fashioned clock, a fast-moving river |
| Numbers from 21 to 99 written in words | twenty-one, forty-two, ninety-nine |
| Fractions written in words | three-quarters, one-half |
| Some prefixes, to make the meaning clear | re-enter, co-operate, ex-teacher, self-confident |
When NOT to use one
- After the noun: a well-known author ✔, but The author is well known. (no hyphen)
- After an -ly word: a highly regarded teacher, a beautifully painted wall (no hyphen)
Hyphens can change the meaning!
- a man-eating shark (a shark that eats people)
- a man eating shark (a man who is eating some shark)
Watch out! Words ending in -ly are never joined with a hyphen to the next word.
Top tip: if the two words go together to describe what comes next, join them: “a brand-new bike”.
👆 Hyphen or not?
Tap every phrase that needs a hyphen.
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