A hyphen (-) is a short punctuation mark used to connect words or word parts. It helps create compound words, clarify meaning, and avoid confusion in sentences. For example, “part-time job,” “mother-in-law,” and “long-term investment” all use hyphens to combine words into a single idea.
Hyphens are especially useful when two or more words work together as an adjective before a noun, such as in “high-speed internet” or “low-cost EMI options.” Without the hyphen, the sentence might become unclear or grammatically incorrect.
In short, a hyphen improves readability by linking related words and guiding how a phrase should be understood.
How a hyphen looks vs a dash
A hyphen (-) is shorter than a dash. There are two main types of dashes:
- En dash (–) – slightly longer than a hyphen
- Em dash (—) – much longer and used to create breaks in a sentence
For example:
- Hyphen: “well-known brand”
- Em dash: “This deal is limited-time—do not miss it.”
Hyphens connect words, while dashes separate or emphasise parts of a sentence.
Common uses of hyphens in writing
Hyphens are commonly used for:
- Compound adjectives: “easy-to-use device”
- Compound nouns: “mother-in-law”
- Prefixes before proper nouns: “ex-president”
- Numbers between 21 and 99: “twenty-one”
- Avoiding confusion: “re-sign” vs “resign”
