When can I use a hyphen in a sentence?

Generally, you need the hyphen only if the two words are functioning together as an adjective before the noun they’re describing. If the noun comes first, leave the hyphen out. This wall is load bearing. It’s impossible to eat this cake because it is rock hard.

What is the rule for hyphenated words?

Generally, hyphenate two or more words when they come before a noun they modify and act as a single idea. This is called a compound adjective. When a compound adjective follows a noun, a hyphen is usually not necessary. Example: The apartment is off campus.

Is the second word in a hyphenated word capitalized?

For hyphenated compounds, it recommends: Always capitalize the first element. If the first element is merely a prefix or combining form that could not stand by itself as a word (anti, pre, etc.), do not capitalize the second element unless it is a proper noun or proper adjective.

Is easy going hyphenated?

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary recognizes easygoing, as one word. Most editors would prefer the closed form, easygoing, but the hyphenated form is not incorrect, it’s simply old-fashioned nowadays.

Is it a capital after a hyphen?

Do I capitalize after a colon?

A colon is nearly always preceded by a complete sentence; what follows the colon may or may not be a complete sentence, and it may be a mere list or even a single word. A colon is not normally followed by a capital letter in British usage, though American usage often prefers to use a capital.

Should full time be capitalized?

As an adjective, it follows the rules: Hyphenate it as a direct adjective; do not hyphenate it when it is not in front of the noun. … He has a full-time job. His job is full time.

When and how should you use a hyphen?

Hyphens are often used to tell the ages of people and things. A handy rule, whether writing about years, months, or any other period of time, is to use hyphens unless the period of time (years, months, weeks, days) is written in plural form: We have a two-year-old child.

When do we use a hyphen in writing?

A hyphen is also used when a word is too long too fit in one row of writing. This is often done in books, magazines and newspapers to save space and paper. A long word is broken into two parts, of nearly the same length, with a hyphen at the end of the first part.

What words should be hyphenated?

The use of hyphens is called hyphenation. Non-hyphenated is an example of a hyphenated word. The hyphen should not be confused with dashes (‒, –, —, ―), which are longer and have different uses, or with the minus sign (−), which is also longer in some contexts.

How to use “hyphenate” in a sentence?

How to use “hyphenate” in a sentence? Hyphen with Two-Word Adjectives before Nouns. Using hyphens to connect words is easy but choosing the appropriate words which makes sense is Hyphens with Participles. Hyphen in a Compound Expression With a Noun and Past Participle.