Although a hyphen and a dash may appear to be the same at first glance, they are two very different marks of punctuation. Their form is as different as their meaning, a dash being twice as long as a hyphen. Dashes are used to separate or connect sentence elements whereas hyphens are used to separate or connectword elements.
Many times a hyphen is misused in writing. Here are the proper times when a hyphen should be used.
When to use a Hyphen
To Separate the Parts (When Spelling Out Numerals) of a Compound Number from Twenty-One to Ninety-Nine
EXAMPLES:
thirty-six inches to a yard.
Fifty-second Street.
To Express Decades in Words
EXAMPLES:
the nineteen-twenties
the eighteen-sixties
To Separate (When Spelling Out Numerals) the Numerator from the Denominator of a Fraction, Especially a Fraction that is used as an Adjective
EXAMPLES:
One-third cup of milk
A three-fifths majority
To Combine the Elements of a Compound Modifier when used before the Noun it modifies
EXAMPLES:
They engaged in hand-to-hand combat.
They fought hand to hand.
They endured a hand-to-mouth existence.
They lived hand to mouth.
When not to use a Hyphen
Do not use a hyphen to indicate a fraction if either the numerator or the denominator is already hyphenated.
EXAMPLES:
one thirty-second
twenty-one thirty-sixths
Do not hyphenate compound nouns indicating chemical terms, military rank, or certain governmental positions.
EXAMPLES:
sodium chloride
en route
vice admiral
in vitro
Do not hyphenate a compound modifier that includes an adverb ending in -ly even when it is used before the noun.
EXAMPLES:
His loose-fitting jacket
A carefully guarded secret
Sample Usage
New truth is always a go-between, a smoother-over of transitions.
Nineteen hundred forty-three.
An expert who is well known.
A well-guarded secret.
Long- and short-term memory.
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