Clarifying the Suspensive Hyphen

The common reader may believe punctuation to be minutia compared to other components of a written work, but editors know better. Using punctuation correctly—or incorrectly—can affect the work’s overall tone and message. And one of the most questioned punctuation marks is the suspensive hyphen. Let’s dive into what it is and when to use it. (Spoiler alert: Major style guides, and yours truly, support using this hyphen!)

Dropping the Second Term

The question of a suspensive hyphen—that is, the use o...