Hyphens, Dashes, and Parentheses

1. Hyphens, Dashes, and Parentheses

2. Use a hyphen to divide a word at the end of a line. • Only words with more than one syllable can be divided. Do not leave a single letter at the beginning or the end of a line. • Longer words can be divided in more than one place. • Elec-tion • Li-brary

3. Use a hyphen in compound numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine and in fractions used as adjectives. • Thirty-two • A two-thirds majority

4. You have seen hyphens in some compound nouns. When two or more words expressing one thought act as an adjective before a noun, use a hyphen to connect them. • Long-range plans

5. Use a dash to set off a sudden change of thought or an afterthought, or to mean namely or in other words. • Tom and Alex are very close – most brothers are. • The game – it went into overtime – was really exciting.

6. Parentheses indicate another type of interruption. They enclose information that isn’t necessary to the meaning of a sentence or information that some readers may already know. • The president (Cooper Smith) presented the award.

7. Use hyphens or dashes correctly in these sentences. • One of the best known pieces or furniture is the bed. • A king size bed the largest size is wider than a double bed. • How do you divide furniture, fur niture or furniture?

8. Use hyphens or dashes correctly in these sentences. • One of the best-known pieces or furniture is the bed. • A king-size bed--the largest size-- is wider than a double bed. • How do you divide furniture, fur-nitureor furni-ture?

9. Where are parentheses needed in these sentences? • 4. A double bed is four and a half feet 1.37 meters wide. • 5. French beds of the Empire period early 1800s were large.

10. Where are parentheses needed in these sentences? • 4. A double-bed is four and a half feet (1.37 meters wide.) • 5. French beds of the Empire period (early 1800s) were large.

11. Use hyphens or dashes correctly in these sentences. • 6. A very rough bed is often called a bunk perhaps a shortened form of bunker. • 7. American colonists usually stuffed their beds with whatever was plentiful corn husks, wood chips, or straw. • 8. Could a bed be one third husks and two thirds straw? • 9. The bedroom rarely a separate room could be in a corner.

12. Use hyphens or dashes correctly in these sentences. • 6. A very rough bed is often called a bunk-- perhaps a shortened form of bunker. • 7. American colonists usually stuffed their beds with whatever was plentiful--corn husks, wood chips, or straw. • 8. Could a bed be one-third husks and two- thirds straw? • 9. The bedroom-- rarely a separate room-- could be in a corner.

13. Use hyphens or dashes correctly in these sentences. • 10. Many children slept with their parents or in a trundle bed a bed pushed under the parents’ bed during the day. • 11. Privacy a sought after condition was almost impossible. • 12. How is privacy divided, priv a cy or priva cy?

14. Use hyphens or dashes correctly in these sentences. • 10. Many children slept with their parents or in a trundle bed--a bed pushed under the parents’ bed during the day. • 11. Privacy-- a sought after condition --was almost impossible. • 12. How is privacy divided, priv-a-cy or pri- va-cy?