Examples

Follow the steps in each example to determine whether a hyphen is needed in the number in each sentence.

1. (Forty one/Forty-one) percent of lawns in this country are subject to chemical treatment.

   Step 1. The number is between 21 and 99. It needs to be hyphenated.

2. (Twenty five/Twenty-five) million acres are taken up by American lawns.

   Step 1. The number is between 21 and 99, so it should be hyphenated.

3. (Twenty nine/Twenty-nine) of the most popular lawn chemicals are known to cause rashes.

   Step 1. The number is between 21 and 99, so a hyphen is needed.

4. The last (half century/half-century) has witnessed an increased obsession with lawns.

   Step 1. The number is not between 21 and 99.
   Step 2. The number is not a fraction whose numerator and denominator are both named.
   Step 3. The number is a fraction used as a noun and a unit of time. No hyphen is needed.

5. (One fourth/One-fourth) of Americans who treat their lawns subscribe to lawn services.

   Step 1. The number is not between 21 and 99.
   Step 2. The number is a fraction whose numerator and denominator are both named. A hyphen is needed between the parts.