Collins Letter Writing

The primary function of the hyphen is to indicate that two or more words are to be read together as a single word with its own meaning. The hyphen is always used in phrasal compounds such as stick-in-the-mud. Some hyphenated words are in a constant state of flux. Fifty years ago, today and tomorrow were very often hyphenated while son in law was not. If in doubt, look in a dictionary but, in general, if a hyphen will clarify the meaning of a word, use one.

Many hyphenated words are only hyphenated if they are adjectival (i.e. form a single phrase with a specific descriptive meaning). ‘The ankle-deep mud’ (attributive) is technically correct, but there is nothing wrong with the phrase ‘the mud is ankle deep’ (predicative).

You hyphenate words in order to join them together so that they have a new, specialised meaning different from each word’s individual meaning when used independently.

Think about ‘the old-fashioned dresser’. The ‘old, fashioned dresser’ would be a dresser that is both antique and highly decorated. The ‘old-fashioned dresser’ is a dresser that has gone right out of fashion.

EXERCISE

Insert the correct punctuation into the following three paragraphs:

1 here is the video I promised to bring you said luke what is it called asked tom see for yourself replied luke

2 where are you going for your holidays asked sophie we are going to new york answered beatrice you cant go there exclaimed sophie why not asked beatrice because its too far replied sophie

3 do you think youll win the match my father asked well I think its very likely I replied it doesnt really matter as long as you do your best said my father