The spelling of the prefixes "half-" and "half-" is one of the most important topics in the grammar of the Russian language. Despite the fact that at first glance it seems not as large-scale as, for example, participial and participle turnovers, its significance cannot be underestimated. And it will not work, given how many words contain the prefixes "semi-" and "semi-". The spelling of these prefixes is subject to strict rules that must be understood and learned.
Full spelling of the prefix "half-"
Before we begin to parse this rule, it is necessary to understand the general principle. The spelling of "semi-" and "semi-" depends on which letter the root of the word begins with. That is, from what letter stands "at the junction" between the main part of the word and the prefix.
If the prefix "half-" is preceded by a consonant, it must be written together with the noun. Here are some examples of words with "half-":
- Half a second, half a minute, half a hour, half a day,half a month, half a year.
- Half mug, half cup, half plate, half teapot, half serving.
- Half past twelve, half past one, half past one, half past three, half past three, half past five.
- Half a kilo, half a gram, half a centner, half a meter, half a centimeter.
- Half a room, half an apartment, half a yard, half a city, half a country, half a planet.
The same applies to the use of words with the prefix "half-" or "half-" (and in this case it is "half-") in full sentences:
- It took at least half an hour before half the job was done.
- It was nice to see an old friend six months later, drink half a cup of coffee, talk heart to heart and spend half a day in good company.
- Employers promised to call back, but the pessimistic student was sure that no one would call back in half an hour, or in half a day, or even in half a month.
Spelling the prefix "half-" with a hyphen
Unlike the prefix "semi-", spelling "semi-" can be done with a hyphen. In the case of the prefix "half-", everything is quite simple: a hyphen separates it, firstly, from a noun that begins with a vowel. For example:
- Half orange, half apricot, half apple, half quince, half vegetable, half cucumber.
- Thirty-thirty, half-April, half-October, half-August, half-January.
Secondly, the hyphen is required in nouns beginning with L:
Half a lemon, half alime, half leaf, half spoon, half onion, half slice
And finally, thirdly, the hyphen is used in combination with nouns that are capitalized. For example:
Half Moscow, half Petersburg, half Russia, half Europe
Of course, this rule does not change in any way when the word with the prefix "half-" is included in a full sentence:
We didn't see each other for half a summer, but then we spent half of August together, we traveled half of Russia
Prefix "semi-"
Unlike the prefix "semi-", the spelling of "semi-" is very unambiguous: only together, and never - through a hyphen. For example:
Half smile, half turn, half circle, half oval, half wolf, half moon, midnight, peninsula
The rule of words beginning with a vowel or letter L does not apply to the spelling of this prefix. In a sentence, it might look like this:
The crescent moon shone brightly in the black midnight sky, illuminating her kind, soft half-smile and tiny half-turned figure
By the way, "half-turn" is an adverb whose spelling should be remembered. But the spelling of words with "half-" and "half-" is not enough just to memorize, and it is difficult - it is much easier to understand and master in practice.
