Grammatically Correct 11/30/04 A weekly grammar tip created by Academic Center Peer Writing Tutors. |
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Using Hyphens in Compound Adjectives (and Exceptions to the Rule) by John Davis |
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Using hyphens with certain word combinations can be tricky because a word combination’s hyphenation can change over time as it becomes more popular. Before deciding whether to use or omit a hyphen, look the term up in the latest dictionary you have and see what form the dictionary uses. Here are a few rules to follow when deciding whether or not to use a hyphen. If two or more words are being used as an adjective unit directly before a noun then you may need to use a hyphen to combine them. When the same two words appear after the noun, a hyphen should not be used. Examples (before noun): Examples (after noun):
Exception #1 Examples: Exception #2 Examples: Exception #3 Examples: Exception #4 Examples:
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Recommended Grammar Website of the Week by John Davis |
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The information above is only one of several aspects of the correct use of hyphens. One website that discusses hyphens in more detail is the University of Minnesota’s Style Manual. Their discussion on hyphens can be found at http://www1.umn.edu/urelate/style/hyphens.html |
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Test Your Knowledge by John Davis |
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Some of theses require hyphens and some don’t, place a hyphen in the appropriate examples. 1. The man sat in the high backed chair. 3. The bottle contained a sodium pentathol base. 4. The windows were lined with mauve colored curtains. 5. It was a red letter day. 6. The Eskimo’s hands were frost bitten. Answers 1. The man sat in the high-backed chair. 3. The bottle contained a sodium pentathol base. (Correct) 4. The windows were lined with mauve-colored curtains. 5. It was a red-letter day. 6. The Eskimo’s hands were frost bitten. (Correct) |
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Grammatically Correct is a grammar tip of the week created by Academic Center Peer Writing Tutors at the University of Houston-Victoria in Victoria, Texas. Comments about this newsletter should be directed to Summer Leibensperger, leibenspergers@uhv.edu. Subscribe/Unsubscribe/View Archive |