Attaching Prefixes to Words Exercise (63)
Identify in each sentence below whether, according to The Chicago Manual of Style and most other style guides, the word with a prefix should have a hyphen connecting the prefix to the base word or whether the prefix should be directly attached to the base word.
Answers and Explanations
Whether a prefix is hyphenated to a root word or directly attached varies depending on a range of factors, but in most cases, no hyphen is necessary. Consult a dictionary when in doubt.
1. The anti-immigration group solicited signatures for their petition.
Prefixes ending with an i are always hyphenated to a root word beginning with i.
2. She is suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder.
Post is always attached to a root word without a hyphen, even when the root word begins with a t.
3. They hope to reestablish contact.
Re is almost always attached directly to a root word without a hyphen, even when the root word begins with an e. (Rare exceptions that make distinctions between homophones include re-cover, meaning "to cover again," to distinguish it from recover, meaning "to obtain again.")
4. The multibillion-dollar project is behind schedule.
Multi is always directly attached to a word designating an order of magnitude.
5. His midcareer move was risky.
In most words beginning with mid, the prefix is attached directly to the root word.
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