One of the regular features we do on Twitter is "Why we need hyphens": phrases that have different meanings depending on whether there's a hyphen. These usually occur when a noun has a compound ...

The first rule of the hyphen is that IT IS NOT A DASH. Don’t call it that. The most common question about hyphens is when to use them to link compound modifiers. Here are conventional patterns: ...

When dealing with compound modifiers, heed this advice from The Associated Press Stylebook: "Do not use a hyphen between adverbs ending in '-ly' and adjectives they modify." For example, no hyphens ...

According to my 1933 Oxford Universal Dictionary, “good-bye” and “co-operate” are hyphenated, neither “leg room” nor “birth rate” can be run together into single word, and “teenager” doesn’t exist.

Hyphens are a pain. People use them so differently that it’s impossible for anyone to use them with complete confidence. As they say, no two editors hyphenate exactly alike, which is why I have seen ...

Q. I know hyphens are not necessary with words ending in “-ly,” such as “a highly respected individual.” What’s the rule for superlatives, as in “The investor chose the top 10 highest yielding stocks ...

A reader has complained that writers ”are now sprinkling hyphens like pepper over salad, but unlike the pepper, they are deadening instead of stimulating.” The examples he cited were compound ...

According to my 1933 Oxford Universal Dictionary, "good-bye" and "co-operate" are hyphenated, neither "leg room" nor "birth rate" can be run together into single word, and "teenager" doesn't exist.

Which is right: a backup plan, a back-up plan or a back up plan? How about a cutoff date, a cut-off date or a cut off date? A takeout menu, a take-out menu or a take out menu? The answer: There is no ...

Hyphen, line on my page, dash in my copy. My joiner of words, my separator of syllables. Hy-phen: the breath of the lungs bursting forth from the diaphragm to loosely bite the lower lip and exhale ...

As I've mentioned before, some of the most vexing English usage problems involve hyphens. For example, the term "right of way" (plural is "rights of way"): The Associated Press votes for three ...