To indicate continuation of a word divided at the end of a line. (See Word Division, supplement to the Style Manual.)
Between the letters of a spelled word.
- The Style Board changed New Jerseyite to New J-e-r-s-e-y-a-n.
- A native of Halifax is a H-a-l-i-g-o-n-i-a-n.
- The Chinese repressive action took place in T-i-a-n-a-n-m-e-n Square.
To separate elements of chemical formulas.
The hyphen, as an element, may be used—
To represent letters deleted or illegible words in copy.
- Oakland's --bonic plague
- Richard Emory H----
Parentheses are used—
To set off matter not intended to be part of the main statement or not a grammatical element of the sentence, yet important enough to be included. In colloquy, brackets must be substituted.
- This case (124 U.S. 329) is not relevant.
- The result (see fig. 2) is most surprising.
- The United States is the principal purchaser (by value) of these exports (23 percent in 1995 and 19 percent in 1996).
To enclose a parenthetic clause where the interruption is too great to be indicated by commas.
- You can find it neither in French dictionaries (at any rate, not in Littré) nor in English dictionaries.
To enclose an explanatory word not part of a written or printed statement.
- the Winchester (VA) Star; but the Star of Winchester, VA
- Portland (OR) Chamber of Commerce; but Athens, GA, schools
To enclose letters or numbers designating items in a series, either at the beginning of paragraphs or within a paragraph.
- The order of delivery will be: (a) Food, (b) clothing, and (c) tents and other housing equipment.
- You will observe that the sword is (1) old fashioned, (2) still sharp, and (3) unusually light for its size.
- Paragraph 7(B)(1)(a) will be found on page 6. (Note parentheses closed up.)
