June 27, 2002: Issue 28
SIM STYLE: What are our rules on hyphenation at the end of a line?
Follow these guidelines to keep your copy looking clean:
• Don’t hyphenate the last word on a page.
• Don’t hyphenate the last word of a paragraph; the final line should include a complete word.
• Don’t allow two or more consecutive lines to end with a hyphen.
• Don’t hyphenate ragged-right copy.
• Don’t hyphenate one word within an already hyphenated phrase; break the line on a hyphen that’s already there.
• Avoid hyphenating display type, such as headlines and intro blurbs.
It’s true that getting rid of some hyphenation can improve the look and flow of copy. But arbitrarily getting rid of ALL hyphenation in justified type creates awkward spacing and unsightly gaps between words that are far more distracting for readers than hyphens would be. Hyphenation within these guidelines is fine.
For more information, see Issue 61.
GRAMMAR: Is it mettle, meddle, medal, or metal?
Here’s a clue! A clue!
correct: Having proved their mettle by solving the mysterious amusement-park haunting, Scooby and friends—once considered nothing more than a group of meddling kids—were presented with a medal of platinum, a precious metal.
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