5 Cases of Unnecessary Hyphenation

5 Cases of Unnecessary Hyphenation 5 Cases of Unnecessary Hyphenation 5 Cases of Unnecessary Hyphenation By Mark Nichol In each of the following sentences, one or more hyphens are extraneous. A discussion and revision follows each example. 1. Data is accurate and often delivered in real-time. â€Å"Real time† is a compound noun, and such nouns are almost invariably open or closed; hyphenated exceptions such as mind-set are rare. If a compound noun does not appear in the dictionary in closed form (or hyphenated), treat it as an open compound: â€Å"Data is accurate and often delivered in real time.† (However, do hyphenate such a compound that functions as a phrasal adjective before a noun, as in â€Å"This tool provides valuable real-time insight into the process.† Exceptions include standing open compound nouns that are listed in the dictionary, such as â€Å"income tax†: â€Å"This rule does not apply to income tax returns.†) 2. As companies become increasingly informa ­tion-driven, information technology plays a pivotal role in this transformation. When a phrasal adjective follows the noun it modifies, do not hyphenate it: â€Å"As companies become increasingly informa ­tion driven, information technology plays a pivotal role in this transformation.† (However, as alluded to in the previous discussion, hyphenate a phrasal adjective when it precedes a noun, as in â€Å"information-driven companies.†) 3. Companies need to get up-to-speed quickly on their regulatory requirements. The words in â€Å"up to speed† do not collectively modify anything, so hyphens are not required: â€Å"Companies need to get up to speed quickly on their regulatory requirements.† 4. Protocols with minimal-to-no tolerance for mistakes should clearly articulate what constitutes a mistake, and how to avoid making it. This sentence includes an unnecessarily hyphenated phrase that is incorrect for the same reason that the one in the previous example is. However, because a noun follows the phrase â€Å"minimal to no,† the phrase may be misidentified as a phrasal adjective. But minimal and no are distinct adjectives that do not combine with to to create a single modifier: â€Å"Protocols with minimal to no tolerance for mistakes should clearly articulate what constitutes a mistake, and how to avoid making it.† 5. Many residents were stunned by the apparently racially-inspired crime. Adverbial phrases in which the adverb ends in -ly, not to be confused with phrasal adjectives, are not hyphenated: â€Å"Many residents were stunned by the apparently racially inspired crime.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Idioms About Legs, Feet, and ToesDawned vs. DonnedA "Diploma" is not a "Degree"