![]() They’re meant to give you a little extra glue when you have a compound modifier that includes a multi-word element that can’t easily be hyphenated. But, traditionally, en dashes function as a kind of super hyphen. When to use en dashesĮn dashes, which are about the width of an upper-case N, are often mistaken for hyphens. If you do need to split a word at the end of a line, it’s best to break the word between syllables. Book and newspaper publishers still set type this way, but it’s rarely necessary to manually insert word breaks in your own writing because modern word processors automatically justify and align your text. Hyphens are also commonly used to divide words that fall at the end of a line of text and continue on the next line. They’re also commonly composed of a noun plus a gerund. Most often, compound modifiers are made up of an adjective plus a noun or participle. The hyphen shows the reader that the words should be taken together as a descriptor for the noun. But “a dog-friendly hotel” does contain a compound modifier unless you understand “dog-friendly” as a unit of meaning, the phrase doesn’t make sense. For example, “a big, bright hotel” does not contain a compound modifier because big and bright don’t form a unit of meaning. ![]() A compound modifier (also called a phrasal adjective) is made up of two or more words that must be understood as a unit. You should also use a hyphen with a compound modifier before a noun. Email instead of e-mail, for example, is increasingly common. Hyphenated words tend to become closed compounds (single words with no hyphens) over time. But when you’re not sure whether a compound word should have a hyphen or not, check a dictionary or style guide. Numbers between twenty-one and ninety-nine should also be hyphenated when they’re spelled out. Some compound words, such as self-restraint are hyphenated. Ideally, use colons or description lists for separating them.Grammarly helps you communicate confidently Write with Grammarly When to use hyphens Sometimes writers use em dashes, en dashes, or hyphens surrounded by spaces in lists to separate a title or heading with its description. ![]() Turn num lock on, then hold down the left Alt key and type 0150 on the numeric keypad. (Instructions for doing that vary depending on your Linux distribution.) After the Compose key is enabled, you can create an em dash by typing the Compose key followed by two hyphens.Īlternatively, press Control+Shift+U, then let go of those keys, then type 2013, then press either the Return key or the Ctrl/Shift keys. Tip: Recommended: 7:30 AM – 9:15 AM (date and time range)įor more information, refer Dates and times.Įnable the Compose key. Don’t add spaces before and after the en dash. Use an en dash indicate a range of numbers such as values or dates. ![]() Although you can use en dashes for these purposes, you can also use hyphens or the word to for numerical ranges. Turn num lock on, then hold down the left Alt key and type 0151 on the numeric keypad.Įn dashes (–) are generally used to indicate a range of numbers, the minus sign, or negative numbers. Note: These Linux options don’t work if you’re signed in to the Linux command line from a remote system using ssh or the like you have to be in a Linux desktop environment. (Instructions for doing that vary depending on your Linux distribution.) After the Compose key is enabled, you can create an em dash by typing the Compose key followed by three hyphens.Īlternatively, press Control+Shift+U, then let go of those keys, then type 2014, then press either the Return key or the Ctrl/Shift keys. Avoid using an em dash to indicate empty or unoccupied elements such as text fields, cells, and other values.Įnable the Compose key. Tip: Recommended: If you’re stuck on a particular step, visit the FAQs page-it has a comprehensive list of common errors, problems, and their solutions.ĭon’t use an em dash as a bullet in a list. ![]()
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