--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Wouldn't the sentence 'I want to put a…" description: "\"Wouldn't the sentence 'I want to put a hyphen between the words Fish and And and And and Chips in my Fish-and-Chips sign' have been clearer if quotatio..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/509/martin-gardner-15175_chips_wouldn-t-the-sentence-i-want-to-put-a-hy_2034912.jpg" --- # Wouldn't the sentence 'I want to put a hyphen between the… ![“Wouldn't the sentence 'I want to put a hyphen between the words Fish and And and And and Chips in my Fish-and-Chips sign' have been clearer if quotation marks had been placed before Fish, and between Fish and and, and and and And, and And and and, and and and And, and And and and, and and and…” quote by Martin Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/509/martin-gardner-15175_chips_wouldn-t-the-sentence-i-want-to-put-a-hy_2034912.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/509/martin-gardner-15175_chips_wouldn-t-the-sentence-i-want-to-put-a-hy_2034912.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/509/martin-gardner-15175_chips_wouldn-t-the-sentence-i-want-to-put-a-hy_2034912.jpg) > “Wouldn't the sentence 'I want to put a hyphen between the words Fish and And and And and Chips in my Fish-and-Chips sign' have been clearer if quotation marks had been placed before Fish, and between Fish and and, and and and And, and And and and, and and and And, and And and and, and and and Chips, as well as after Chips?” [Martin Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gardner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Complex sentences can become clearer with proper punctuation, especially quotation marks. **In simple terms:** Punctuation clarifies meaning. Key Takeaway Use quotes to separate items. Themes communication clarity punctuation Mood analytical thoughtful Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - writing essays - editing documents - teaching grammar - public speaking Key Concepts syntax language precision Questions to Reflect On - How does punctuation affect comprehension? - When is minimal punctuation better? A Different Perspective Over‑punctuation can clutter readability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chips/) [Clearer Quotation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clearer-quotation-3757194/) [Fish and chips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fish-and-chips/) [Fishes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fishes/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Hyphen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hyphen-733571/) [Hyphen Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hyphen-words-3757195/) [Hyphens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hyphens/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mark/) [Quotation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quotation/) [Quotation marks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quotation-marks/) [Quotations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quotations/) [Sentences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sentences/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [This morning I deleted the hyphen from "hell-bound" and made it one word; this afternoon I redivided it and restored the hyphen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-arlington-robinson/this-morning-i-deleted-the-hyphen-from-hell-bound-and-made-it-one/) [Edwin Arlington Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-arlington-robinson/) > [“The closest we can get to set hyphen rules are that the prefixes ex, self, and all always require hyphens while adverbs ending in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-baranick/the-closest-we-can-get-to-set-hyphen-rules-are-that-the-prefixes-ex/) [Jenny Baranick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-baranick/) > [One must regard the hyphen as a blemish to be avoided wherever possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/one-must-regard-the-hyphen-as-a-blemish-to-be-avoided-wherever/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [The only difference between resigning and resigning is a hyphen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-mccarver/the-only-difference-between-resigning-and-resigning-is-a-hyphen/) [Tim McCarver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-mccarver/) > [There are some men who in a fifty-fifty proposition insist on getting the hyphen too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/there-are-some-men-who-in-a-fifty-fifty-proposition-insist-on-getting/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Some Americans need hyphens in their names, because only part of them has come over; but when the whole man has come over, heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/some-americans-need-hyphens-in-their-names-because-only-part-of-them-2/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) > [Tea - that perfume that one drinks, that connecting hyphen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-clifford-barney/tea-that-perfume-that-one-drinks-that-connecting-hyphen/) [Natalie Clifford Barney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-clifford-barney/) > [Like italics and hyphens, quotation marks are to be used as sparingly as possible. They should light the way, not darken it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-partridge/like-italics-and-hyphens-quotation-marks-are-to-be-used-as-sparingly/) [Eric Partridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-partridge/) > [“You realize that everything you think and feel now will be encompassed in the hyphen between two years.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paige-harbison/you-realize-that-everything-you-think-and-feel-now-will-be/) [paige harbison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paige-harbison/) > [“Sexy isn’t my middle name. Lust-factory is, with the hyphen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/sexy-isn-t-my-middle-name-lust-factory-is-with-the-hyphen/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“As you can see, the hyphen is a nasty, tricky, evil little mark that gets its kicks igniting arguments in newsrooms and trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-casagrande/as-you-can-see-the-hyphen-is-a-nasty-tricky-evil-little-mark-that/) [June Casagrande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-casagrande/) > [Hollywood has 'The Body' Marie McDonald and 'The Look' Lauren Bacall and 'The Voice' Frank Sinatra. I'm 'The Dash' From my first contract on,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-ellen/hollywood-has-the-body-marie-mcdonald-and-the-look-lauren-bacall-and/) [Vera-Ellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-ellen/) > [“We are a handful of dust in God’s image Before we return again to dusty grave Life isn’t a war, it’s a scrimmage A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-wetch/we-are-a-handful-of-dust-in-god-s-image-before-we-return-again-to/) [Justin Wetch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-wetch/) > [I was Corinne Bailey. I added on Rae, my husband's name, when I got married. There's no hyphen. Stops it being posh!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corinne-bailey-rae/i-was-corinne-bailey-i-added-on-rae-my-husband-s-name-when-i-got/) [Corinne Bailey Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corinne-bailey-rae/) > [“When we turned right on Thirty-fifth Street our suffix came along. By the time we rolled to the curb in front of Wolfe's house…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rex-stout/when-we-turned-right-on-thirty-fifth-street-our-suffix-came-along-by/) [Rex Stout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rex-stout/) ## More by Martin Gardner > [If you ask me to tell you anything about the nature of what lies beyond the phaneron… my answer is “How should I know?”……](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gardner/if-you-ask-me-to-tell-you-anything-about-the-nature-of-what-lies/) [Martin Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gardner/) > [Debunking bad science should be constant obligation of the science community, even if it takes time away from serious research or seems to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gardner/debunking-bad-science-should-be-constant-obligation-of-the-science/) [Martin Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gardner/) > [Mathematics is not only real, but it is the only reality. That is that entire universe is made of matter, obviously. And matter is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gardner/mathematics-is-not-only-real-but-it-is-the-only-reality-that-is-that/) [Martin Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gardner/) > [There is still a difference between something and nothing, but it is purely geometrical and there is nothing behind the geometry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gardner/there-is-still-a-difference-between-something-and-nothing-but-it-is/) [Martin Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gardner/) > [Let the Bible be the Bible. It's not about science. It's not accurate history. It is a grab bag of religious fantasies written by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gardner/let-the-bible-be-the-bible-it-s-not-about-science-it-s-not-accurate/) [Martin Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gardner/) > [It is part of the pholosophic dullness of our time that there are millions of rational monsters walking about on their hind legs, observing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gardner/it-is-part-of-the-pholosophic-dullness-of-our-time-that-there-are/) [Martin Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gardner/) > [Politicians, real-estate agents, used-car salesmen, and advertising copy-writers are expected to stretch facts in self-serving directions, but scientists who falsify their results are regarded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gardner/politicians-real-estate-agents-used-car-salesmen-and-advertising-copy/) [Martin Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gardner/) > [“Her constant orders for beheading are shocking to those modern critics of children's literature who feel that juvenile fiction should be free of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gardner/her-constant-orders-for-beheading-are-shocking-to-those-modern/) [Martin Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gardner/) > [The violence and double-talk in the Alice books probably does no harm to children, but the novels should not be allowed to circulate indiscriminately…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gardner/the-violence-and-double-talk-in-the-alice-books-probably-does-no-harm/) [Martin Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gardner/) > [Mathematics is not only real, but it is the only reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gardner/mathematics-is-not-only-real-but-it-is-the-only-reality/) [Martin Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gardner/) > [As Bertrand Russell once wrote, two plus two is four even in the interior of the sun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gardner/as-bertrand-russell-once-wrote-two-plus-two-is-four-even-in-the/) [Martin Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gardner/) > [Mathemagical mathematics combines the beauty of mathematical structure with the entertainment value of a trick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gardner/mathemagical-mathematics-combines-the-beauty-of-mathematical/) [Martin Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gardner/) > [The last level of metaphor in the Alice books is this: that life, viewed rationally and without illusion, appears to be a nonsense tale…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gardner/the-last-level-of-metaphor-in-the-alice-books-is-this-that-life/) [Martin Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gardner/) > [The universe is almost like a huge magic trick and scientists are trying to figure out how it does what it does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gardner/the-universe-is-almost-like-a-huge-magic-trick-and-scientists-are/) [Martin Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gardner/) > [Although Lewis Carroll thought of The Hunting of the Snark as a nonsense ballad for children, it is hard to imagine - in fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gardner/although-lewis-carroll-thought-of-the-hunting-of-the-snark-as-a/) [Martin Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gardner/) [Explore all 44 Martin Gardner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gardner/) ## More Chips quotes > ['Constitutional' is just a real pip of a word. Positively rolls off the tongue. In fact, it's downright fun to say. 'Con-stit-too-shun-al.' It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/constitutional-is-just-a-real-pip-of-a-word-positively-rolls-off-the/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [You should do what we do, stack chips like Hebrews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/puff-daddy/you-should-do-what-we-do-stack-chips-like-hebrews/) [Puff Daddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/puff-daddy/) > [And just so you know for the future, I like my double-chocolate chip cookies warm and soft in the middle...and without magnets glued to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-elkeles/and-just-so-you-know-for-the-future-i-like-my-double-chocolate-chip/) [Simone Elkeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-elkeles/) > [Stop living your life trying to please everyone, please God and let the chips fall where they may!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/stop-living-your-life-trying-to-please-everyone-please-god-and-let/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes I'm in the mood for a cookie, sometimes a bowl of chips.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorit-kemsley/sometimes-i-m-in-the-mood-for-a-cookie-sometimes-a-bowl-of-chips/) [Dorit Kemsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorit-kemsley/) > [One thing I know is that it is a bad idea to marry someone who had bad parents. If they hated their mother, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-gilchrist/one-thing-i-know-is-that-it-is-a-bad-idea-to-marry-someone-who-had/) [Ellen Gilchrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-gilchrist/) > [It's all about salsa with grain chips, tofu, turkey slices, hummus, and coconut water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurieann-gibson/it-s-all-about-salsa-with-grain-chips-tofu-turkey-slices-hummus-and/) [Laurieann Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurieann-gibson/) > [What sort of date are you? Come on then, tightwad. Chips are on me. We've only got five billion years 'til the shops close.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-tyler/what-sort-of-date-are-you-come-on-then-tightwad-chips-are-on-me-we-ve/) [Rose Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-tyler/) > [It is useless not to seek, not to want, for when you cease to seek you start to find, and when you cease to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/it-is-useless-not-to-seek-not-to-want-for-when-you-cease-to-seek-you/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [You can never make yourself believe that you're loveable, however hard you try, because when the chips are down what you really believe rises…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-katie/you-can-never-make-yourself-believe-that-you-re-loveable-however-hard/) [Byron Katie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-katie/) > [The interesting thing about a lot of serialized television is that it's a blessing and curse. Smart writers really take their time in investing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-weil/the-interesting-thing-about-a-lot-of-serialized-television-is-that-it/) [Liza Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-weil/) > [When your Super Bowl guests arrive, they should find a mound of potato chips large enough to conceal a pony sitting in front of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/when-your-super-bowl-guests-arrive-they-should-find-a-mound-of-potato/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [In the cookies of life, your friends are the chocolate chips.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-the-cookies-of-life-your-friends-are-the-chocolate-chips/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Does Grandpa love to baby-sit his grandchildren? Are you kidding? By day he is too busy taking hormone shots at the doctor's or chip…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-boyle/does-grandpa-love-to-baby-sit-his-grandchildren-are-you-kidding-by/) [Hal Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-boyle/) > [At one store, Gansey had started to pay for Blue's potato chips and she'd snatched them away. "I don't want you to buy me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/at-one-store-gansey-had-started-to-pay-for-blue-s-potato-chips-and/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) [Browse all 674 Chips quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chips/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Wouldn't the sentence 'I want to put a hyphen between the words Fish and And and And and Chips in my Fish-and-Chips sign' have been clearer if quotation marks had been placed before Fish, and between Fish and and, and and and And, and And and and, and and and And, and And and and, and and and Chips, as well as after Chips?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Martin Gardner" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gardner/wouldn-t-the-sentence-i-want-to-put-a-hyphen-between-the-words-fish/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Chips" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gardner/wouldn-t-the-sentence-i-want-to-put-a-hyphen-between-the-words-fish/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/509/martin-gardner-15175_chips_wouldn-t-the-sentence-i-want-to-put-a-hy_2034912.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/509/martin-gardner-15175_chips_wouldn-t-the-sentence-i-want-to-put-a-hy_2034912.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/509/martin-gardner-15175_chips_wouldn-t-the-sentence-i-want-to-put-a-hy_2034912.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Wouldn't the sentence 'I want to put a hyphen between the words Fish and And and And and Chips in my…” — Martin Gardner", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Martin Gardner", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gardner/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Wouldn't the sentence 'I want to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gardner/wouldn-t-the-sentence-i-want-to-put-a-hyphen-between-the-words-fish/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gardner/wouldn-t-the-sentence-i-want-to-put-a-hyphen-between-the-words-fish/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```