Back to the Virginia Tech Hokies Newsfeed

When to Use a Hyphen Correctly (2024)

powered byLanguageTool

The rules of using a hyphen are quite puzzling. We shed a light on where to put an obligatory hyphen, and when to avoid the punctuation mark.

The Correct Use of a Hyphen
  • Numbers and Fractions
  • Adjectives
  • Nouns
  • Phrases
  • Verbs
  • Names
  • Non-mandatory Use

The Infamous Hyphen

A hyphen—like many other punctuation marks—should help us to navigate between the words and sentences of our texts. Luckily, there are some clearly defined cases that automatically invoke the use of a hyphen. In other examples, a hyphen is not mandatory, but helpful for the readers.