Hyphens are generally used for:
* Compound words: Words formed by combining two or more words (e.g., "well-being", "high-pitched"). These can have any number of syllables.
* Prefixes: Sometimes prefixes are hyphenated, especially if the word is unusual or could be misread without the hyphen (e.g., "non-profit", "pre-existing").
* To avoid ambiguity: If a word is difficult to read or could be misunderstood, a hyphen can help (e.g., "re-cover" vs. "recover").
Three-syllable words rarely need hyphens. Usually, if a word is spelled as one word and is clearly pronounced as such, it doesn't require a hyphen.
Example:
* "Beautiful" - This word is pronounced as a single unit and is spelled as one word, so it doesn't need a hyphen.
Exceptions:
* Some three-syllable words that are newly coined or less common might temporarily use hyphens for clarity, but they often become hyphen-free over time.
* In some contexts, such as poetry, hyphens might be used in three-syllable words for rhythm or emphasis, but this is less common in standard usage.
If you're unsure about hyphenation, consulting a dictionary is always the best option.