Suspended Hyphens
Rule #1
When you’re listing hyphenated compound adjectives that share the same ending, you can drop the repeated word but must keep the hyphen followed by a space. Do not use in a single entry
- first- and second-grade students
- pre- and post-workout snacks
- a stain- , wrinkle- , and odor-resistant fabric
- a five-by-eight foot rug (single entry)
Rule #2
Use the suspended hyphen in the second pair if the first word or prefix repeats.
- state-owned and -operated hospitals
- over- and underfed cats
Practice
Add in hyphens as needed and delete the repetitive part of the compound.
- We need both full time and part time employees.
- The recipe works for both eight and twelve inch pans.
- This applies to both pre tax and post tax calculations.
- They have awards for worst looking and worst sounding band.
- The bank offers 15, 20, and 30-year mortgages.
- Consider both short term and long term investments.
- All the first and second-grade students have the same recess.
- The start-up produced the highest priced and highest rated medicine on the market.
- She’s both well educated and connected in the industry.
- She plans on taking a three to five year gap before starting college.
Answers
- We need both full– time and part–time employees.
- The recipe works for both eight– and twelve–inch pans.
- This applies to both pre– tax and post–tax calculations.
- They have awards for worst–looking and worst –sounding band.
- The bank offers 15– , 20– , and 30-year mortgages. (note the space before the comma)
- Consider both short– term and long–term investments.
- All the first– and second-grade students have the same recess.
- The start-up produced the highest–priced and highest –rated medicine on the market.
- She’s both well–educated and –connected in the industry.
- She plans on taking a three–to–five–year gap before starting college. (single entity)
