Using automatic hyphenation

Word 365 2016 2013 2010 2007
Automatic hyphenation inserts optional hyphens. An optional hyphen is a hyphen that Word uses only when a word or a phrase appears at the end of a line. If the word or phrase moves to a different position because of editing, the optional hyphen is removed.

To select automatic hyphenation, follow these steps:

   1.   Choose Tools -> Language -> Hyphenation to open the Hyphenation dialog box:

Hyphenation in Word 2003

   2.   Select the Automatically Hyphenate Document check box.

   3.   If you do not want to hyphenate words in uppercase letters, leave the Hyphenate Words in CAPS check box blank.

   4.   Set a value in the Hyphenation Zone. This value is the distance in inches between the end of the last complete word in a line of text and the margin - in other words, the degree of raggedness Word should allow. Word uses this measurement to determine if a word should be hyphenated. Large values decrease the number of hyphens; low values increase the number of hyphens but reduce the raggedness of the right margin.

   5.   If you don't want consecutive lines to have hyphens - it can make a document look a little strange - set a limit in the Limit Consecutive Hyphens To box.

   6.   Click OK.

Normally, optional hyphens are not visible in your document. You can view optional hyphens by choosing Tools -> Options and then clicking the View tab. Under Formatting Marks, select the Optional Hyphens check box.

Hyphenation options in Word 2003

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Using manual hyphenation

Using manual hyphenation

With manual hyphenation, you have more control over what is hyphenated and how it is hyphenated. You can select which parts of the document are hyphenated and where a hyphen appears in specific words. This is a huge hassle for a large document, but it does allow you to do a better job than Word might do automatically - Word sometimes hyphenates words in positions that don't look good.
Using nonbreaking and optional hyphens

Using nonbreaking and optional hyphens

Use nonbreaking hyphens to hyphenate phrases or terms that you don't want to wrap to another line. With nonbreaking hyphens, the entire phrase or term wraps to the next line instead of breaking.
Customizing revision marks

Customizing revision marks

You can easily change an appearance of revision marks in your document. Track Changes dialog box gives you full control on the insertions, deletions, formatting and other revision marks.