Wordsmithing 101: Lovely Little Lines

Should "real life" be hyphenated? What does an en dash do, anyway? Is an em dash something else entirely? Why are we asking so many obviously leading questions? This edition of "Wordsmithing 101" addresses some lovely little lines! Whether you’re a writer, an editor, or someone aspiring to be either one, this brief lesson will help to demystify some of the ways that hyphens, en dashes, and em dashes can be used (and when they should be omitted). We’ll also address a few of the myths and misconceptions that you’ve likely encountered. 01:07 An Overview of Hyphens 01:30 “Real Life” or “Real-Life” 01:58 “X-Year-Old” Is Always Hyphenated 02:45 “X Years Old” Is Never Hyphenated 03:16 Here’s Why “Time-Travel” Is Hyphenated 04:46 Here’s Why “Antique-Dealer” Is Hyphenated 05:17 When Should “Most” Be Hyphenated? 07:29 An Overview of En Dashes 07:57 Writing Appositives with En Dashes 09:51 An Overview of Em Dashes