When to use a hyphen
A hyphen is a symbol ‘-‘ used to link words together. Hyphens are used to clarify the meaning of different words when they are used together.
Here are some examples of when to use hyphens.
Re- words starting with e:
- re-evaluate
- re-examine
Distinguishing words from similar ones:
- re-sort, not resort
- co-operate, not cooperate
- re-form, not reform
- co-ordinate, not coordinate
All words with ‘e’ before the word (as a prefix), except for ‘email’:
- e-commerce
- e-book
- e-learning
Phrases where words have a combined meaning or a relationship:
- a five-storey building
- a well-explained report
- the long-term effect
When not to use a hyphen
Words with ‘re’ as a prefix (unless the word afterwards begins with an ‘e’):
- reinvent
- reorder
- reopen
- replay
- rewrite
Words that end in ‘ly’:
- use genetically modified food, not genetically-modified food
- use statistically significant changes, not statistically-significant changes
Prefixes that do not need hyphens:
- macro
- mega
- micro
- mini
- multi
- over
- super
- under
Do not use a hyphen unless it’s confusing without it.
Time and date ranges
Use ‘to’ for time and date ranges, not hyphens, for example:
- 10.45am to 11.30am, not 10.45am - 11.30am
- 1 March 2024 to 10 March 2024, not 1 March 2024 – 10 March 2024
Web addresses
Creating a web address or short URL should include hyphens, for example:
- use westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk/have-your-say
- don’t use westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk/haveyoursay
Slash symbol (/)
Never use the slash symbol in place of ‘or’, ‘to’, for example:
- do use parents or carers, don’t use parents/carers
- do use 2024 to 2025, don’t use 2024/2025
You can use the slash in and/or.
Plus and minus symbol (+ and -)
Don’t use the plus and minus symbol (+ and -), unless in a dataset or table.
Where possible, write words in full instead of using symbols and special characters. This will make your content easier to read for all users.