May 30, 2002: Issue 24
SIM STYLE: Are prefixes hyphenated?
In general, common prefixes are joined to words without hyphens. But add a hyphen if a prefix would create an ambiguous word or one that would make the reader hesitate.
correct: The designer created a semicircular arrangement in the living room.
correct: Walls of shelves hold their collection of nonfiction books.
correct: She recovered her grandmother’s wing chair from the storage room, then re-covered it in a floral chintz.
correct: He resides in a century-old home, which he re-sided.
For more information, see Prefixes section in the SIM Stylebook.
GRAMMAR: Idiom Soup
Do you know these idioms?
correct: anchors aweigh (not “away”)
correct: bated breath (not “baited”)
correct: beck and call (not “beckon call”)
correct: for all intents and purposes (not “intensive purposes”)
correct: without further ado (not “adieu”)
Back to Style on the Go Archive
Back to BHG Stylebook Table of Contents