May 20, 2009
Fixes for your prefixes
Prefixes are letters or groups of letters put at the beginning of a word to make a new word. Some of the most common include a-, anti-, co-, dis-, ex-, extra-, pre-, pro-, re-, semi-, and un-.
Prefixes have the power to transform us from happy to unhappy, from believing to disbelieving, from terrestrial to extraterrestrial in just a few strokes of the keyboard. So let’s make sure we’re using them correctly.
In general, do not hyphenate when using a prefix with a word starting with a consonant.
restart
precook
semicircle
However, hyphenate after a prefix to avoid duplicated vowels.
anti-inflammatory
re-elect
pre-eminent
(In this case, the hyphens aren’t always necessary; it’s really a style thing.)
Hyphenate when the word that follows a prefix is capitalized.
pre-Vatican II
anti-American
Hyphenate after a prefix to clarify meaning.
I recovered my keys in the backyard.
I re-covered my pool in the backyard.
When in doubt, always consult a dictionary or your style guide.
Filed by rebecca at 9:29 am under Grammar guide