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Hyphens with the Prefix re

Many of us find hyphens confusing. The prefix re can make hyphenating even more of a head-scratching experience. However, there is really only one rule that you need to learn to determine when to hyphenate with re.

Rule: Use the hyphen with the prefix re only when re means again AND omitting the hyphen would cause confusion with another word.

Example: Will she recover from her illness?
Re does not mean again so no hyphen.

Example: I have re-covered the sofa twice.
Re does mean again AND omitting the hyphen would have caused confusion with another word so hyphenate.

Example: The stamps have been reissued.
Re means again but would not cause confusion with another word so no hyphen.

Example: I must re-press the shirt.
Re means again AND omitting the hyphen would cause confusion with another word so hyphenate.

 

Pop Quiz

Select the correct answer:
1A. Please call the restaurant to reserve a table.
1B. Please call the restaurant to re-serve a table.
1C. Please call the restaurant to re serve a table.

2A. I resent the file to you last night.
2B. I re-sent the file to you last night.
2C. I re sent the file to you last night.

3A. I’ll print out the letters again, and you can resign them.
3B. I’ll print out the letters again, and you can re-sign them.
3C. I’ll print out the letters again, and you can re sign them.

Answers:
1A. Please call the restaurant to reserve a table.
2B. I re-sent the file to you last night.
3B. I’ll print out the letters again, and you can re-sign them.

Posted on Tuesday, March 30th, 2010, at 9:06 am

10 Comments

10 Responses to “Hyphens with the Prefix re”

  1. Jerry Everett says:
    August 17, 2010 at 11:54 am

    Can anyone help us solve a raging debate at our company relating to hyphens?

    Do we use toll free conference calling OR toll-free conference calling?

    …Jerry

    Reply
  2. Harriet says:
    December 20, 2011 at 12:12 pm

    So useful, thanks!

    Reply
  3. Hannah says:
    January 22, 2012 at 6:53 pm

    What about rerule? Is that even a word? or should it be Re-Rule? having a fight in scrabble!

    Thanks

    Reply
  4. Margaret says:
    June 19, 2012 at 5:24 pm

    I do not agree with the given answer on number 9 in the quiz: reinjured vs. re-injured. Upon initially reading the word “reinjured”, it COULD be misconstrued as “rein”; I think here, it is appropriate to put the hyphen after “re-”.

    Reply
    • Jane says:
      June 19, 2012 at 5:25 pm

      Even if misconstrued as “rein,” it still would not form another word. Reinjured is a valid word which you can find listed as a “related form” to injure on Dictionary.com as well as in The Official Scrabble Players Dictionary.

      Reply
  5. michael says:
    December 30, 2012 at 5:00 am

    Is it reintegration or re-integration? If it’s hyphenated, is the ‘i’ capitalized or not?

    Reply

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