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Are You Using Hyphens Correctly?

March 10, 2011
General Grammar | Punctuation | Style

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by Mignon Fogarty

Many people get confused about when to use hyphens when writing ages. Here's a Quick and Dirty Tip that will help: When the age is an adjective that comes before the noun and modifies the noun, or when the age is a noun, hyphenate.

My eight-year-old neighbor wrote a poem about commas for National Grammar Day.
That 70-year-old with the purple hoodie loves Justin Bieber.

When the age is part of an adjective phrase after the noun, don't hyphenate.

Charlie Sheen is 45 years old
His twin sons are nearly two years old.

Read more about hyphens.

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Ron
3/16/2012 7:10:55 PM

Deciding between "quick and dirty" and "quick-and-dirty" depends on how they're used. I don't remember the proper grammar lingo, but if you're using it as an adjective to describe a noun (e.g., "quick-and-dirty recipe"), then hyphenate. If you're using in the predicate (e.g., "Their intercourse was quick and dirty."), then you don't hyphenate.

Ron
3/16/2012 5:34:29 PM

I think it would be "right-hand-dominant female." The three words combined describe the female.

Kerrie McLoughlin
1/31/2012 10:36:40 AM

Back in my proofing days, I swear the AP stylebook said don't hyphenate words that end in -ly and modify the next word. Like you wouldn't do this: It was a badly-run meeting. Instead you would say it was a badly run meeting. What do you think?

simo
11/4/2011 9:41:27 AM

what does it mean to hyphenate in the first place ?

Pompilia
8/27/2011 10:59:14 AM

"When the age is an adjective that comes before the noun and modifies the noun, or when the age is a noun, hyphenate."

I find this confusing...

Jill
6/13/2011 1:46:49 PM

If you would clarify for me the proper hyphenation of "right hand dominant female," I would be eternally grateful. Thanks!

SallyJene
5/22/2011 7:04:24 PM

Isn't "quick-and-dirty" hyphenated?

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Are You Using Hyphens Correctly?

Many people get confused about when to use hyphens when writing ages. Here's a Quick and Dirty Tip that will help: When the age is an adjective that comes before the noun and modifies the noun, or when the age is a noun, hyphenate.

My eight-year-old neighbor wrote a poem about commas for National Grammar Day.

That 70-year-old with the purple hoodie loves Justin Bieber.

When the age is part of an adjective phrase after the noun, don't hyphenate.

Charlie Sheen is 45 years old

His twin sons are nearly two years old.

Read more about hyphens.

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