Some rules of how to use hyphens correctly

Rule (1) When adverbs other than -ly adverbs are used as compound words in front of a noun, hyphenate. When the combination of words is used after the noun, do not hyphenate.

Examples:
He got a much-needed haircut yesterday.
His haircut was much needed.

Rule (2) Hyphenate all compound numbers from twenty-one through ninety-nine.

Rule (3) Hyphenate all spelled-out fractions, e.g., one-third, and one-half.

Rule (4) Use the hyphen with prefix re only when: the re means again AND omitting the hyphen would cause confusion with another word.

Examples:
Will she recover from her illness?
I have re-covered the sofa twice.
Re does mean again AND omitting the hyphen would have caused confusion with another word.

Periods go inside parenthesis only if an entire sentence is inside the parenthesis.

Examples:
Please read the analysis (I enclosed it as Attachment A.).
OR
Please read the analysis. (I enclosed it as Attachment A.)

Use the semicolon before introductory words such as e.g., for example, or i.e., when they introduce a complete sentence.

Examples:
You will want to bring many backpacking items; for example, sleeping bags, pans, and warm clothing will make the trip better.

If the phrase has fewer than three words, the comma is optional.

Use a comma after the phrase of more than three words that begin a sentence. If the phrase has fewer than three words, the comma is optional.

Examples:

On February 14, many couples give each other candy or flowers.

OR

On February 14 many couples give each other candy or flowers.

The day of the month

Use a common to separate the day of the month from the year and after the year.

Example: Kathleen met her husband on December 6, 2003, in New York, NY.

If any part of the date is omitted, leave out the comma.

Example: They met in December 2003 in New York, NY.

Different from vs Differently than

Rule: Use different from, not different than.

Example: The weather was different from what we expected.

You may use differently than when a clause precedes and follows the expression.

Example: He works differently than she does.

Like vs As if

The word like when used to show comparison, is a preposition, meaning that it should be followed by an object of the preposition but not by a subject and verb. Use as or as if when following a comparison with a subject and verb.

Examples:

You look so much like your mother.
Mother is the object of the preposition like.

You look as if you are angry.
As if is connecting two pairs of subjects and verbs.