Two words brought together as a compound may be written separately, written as one word, or connected by hyphens. For example, three modern dictionaries all have the same listings for the following compounds:

Hyphens are multipurpose punctuation marks. They help you maneuver through unexpected line breaks, separate parts of compound words, write certain numbers, and create one description from two words. Here you learn the basics of using hyphens. Using hyphen

How to Use Hyphens Why hyphens (or lack of them) mean your true blue friend is a Smurf and you should not fear free dentistry . We have lots of examples that will help you finally understand hyphen rules.