<p>Ok my essay is just about completed, and with it my application! Almost ready to submit. I have one problem though. Almost every other sentence has a hypen in it which disrupts my flow horribly. Anyone have tips on how to get rid of them? Everytime I try to rephrase the sentence it seems to not fit. If you are willing to help I could PM you my essay or just a few examples or maybe one of you future english majors could post tips. The essay is about a trip to China so it's not boring I promise!</p>
<p>use colons or colon derivatives(;) or parentheses or appositives. There are many close alternatives to hyphens, so just mix it up a bit</p>
<p>Avoid parentheses if possible. They are worse than hyphens for interupting the flow. To the extent possible, just use periods and commas. Used properly they can help convey most ideas quite clearly. Use hyphens sparingly and only when they add clarity.</p>