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The Hyphen

Use a hyphen to join two or more words working as a single adjective before a noun.

high-flying acrobat

well-rested athlete

high-minded professor

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Use a hyphen with between compound modifiers.

twenty-seven

ninety-eight

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Use a hyphen with prefixes: ex-, self-, all-

ex-marine

ex-president

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Use a hyphen with suffixes: -elect

mayor-elect

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Use a hyphen between a prefix and a capitalized word.

post-Vietnam

mid-March

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Use a hyphen with figures or letters

v-neck

pre-2000

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Don't use a hyphen to join two or more words working as a single adjective if they come after a noun.

The acrobat was high flying.

The athlete was well rested.

The professor was high minded.

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