Hyphening Words with "Well"

[Alys Sterk]

About those hyphens!

Hyphenated words with "well" are not errors even if they aren't modifying a noun because some online dictionaries list them as hyphenated words. Therefore, don't count these as errors. It's only an error if there is a noun being modified and the reviewer doesn't hyphenate it. Some stylebooks advise us to hyphenate well in a compound modifier both when it precedes a noun and when the compound follows the verb.

Example:
Correct: The performance was well rehearsed.
Correct: The performance was well-rehearsed.
Correct: The well-rehearsed orchestra sounded nice.
Incorrect: The well rehearsed orchestra sounded nice.

This is only for words with "well." For others in question, if we can find anywhere on the internet (reputable) that shows the words as hyphenated, we don't consider that an error.

[Kaitlyn Canedy]

Thank you for the clarification!

[Brenda Creech]

I have a current discrepancy with another editor which involves words with well.
The other editor marked two errors for the review because of the reviewer using a hyphen with well-edited and another well word (my mind just went blank). I counted neither one as an error. Here is his/her response to me which I found offensive:

"Please, stop creating a discrepancy on this issue. You don't use a hyphen in this cases when it not serving as an adjective to any noun before it. It's a general rule of grammar and punctuation."

I marked that I still believe my scorecard is right. The 'stop creating a discrepancy' was uncalled for since I had only responded to it one time.
I just wanted to point out the other editor's rudeness.

[Alys Sterk]

Good Morning,
Please stand your ground on this one. The other editor is incorrect.

[Brenda Creech]

Good Morning,
Please stand your ground on this one. The other editor is incorrect.
[1/quote]
Thank you, I will.

[Brenda Creech]

Good Morning,
Please stand your ground on this one. The other editor is incorrect.

Thank you, I will.

[PeterRabitt20]

I'm glad this is mentioned. Online grammar checkers put this one as incorrect (when it isn't) and so ppl confuse it.

[Alice Heritage]

I'm glad this is mentioned. Online grammar checkers put this one as incorrect (when it isn't) and so ppl confuse it.

Exactly, but it's optional with "well", as very ... well ... explained above.

[Rosemary Wright]

Thanks for the clarification. I hope the editor that scored my review yesterday sees your post. They marked " the book was well narrated" and "it was well edited" as wrong. They insisted that it must be "well-narrated" and "well-edited". Even when I explained that the hyphens are needed when they are modifiers, not postpositive.

It amazes me how some editors mark reviewers down without doing research and how they refuse to do the right thing during recheck.

[Rosemary Wright]

I'm glad this is mentioned. Online grammar checkers put this one as incorrect (when it isn't) and so ppl confuse it.

An editor should not rely on online grammar checkers. They're not effective in showing grammar errors. They're only good for misspellings or typos. Editors should learn, go to advanced dictionaries, and see examples of how English words are used. Besides, they should visit online English guides and forums to learn more about English grammar.

[Alice Heritage]

I'm glad this is mentioned. Online grammar checkers put this one as incorrect (when it isn't) and so ppl confuse it.

An editor should not rely on online grammar checkers. They're not effective in showing grammar errors. They're only good for misspellings or typos. Editors should learn, go to advanced dictionaries, and see examples of how English words are used. Besides, they should visit online English guides and forums to learn more about English grammar.

Yes, absolutely! University sites often have good explainers on grammar. Guides can vary, so it's important to know what issues might be considered subjective. Grammarly clearly also does not always pick up on sentences that are structured incorrectly - there is no substitute for reading carefully.

[Precious_Nzeakor]

This is unrelated to the issue on "well" but still an issue on grammar. Although the general idea is that proper nouns must be in capital letter, online dictionaries list "earth" with small letter "e" as a proper noun and use it to make sentences where "earth" is a proper noun eg "I am the luckiest person on earth." Will it be wrong to say that marking the above sentence, based on lack of capitalisation, as an error is subjective?

On the side, clarifications like these are very much appreciated and should be addressed more often on this forum. Grammar varies largely across borders and even within a bordered area. Clarification will help editors understand what's subjective and what isn't. Thank you so much for this.

[Diana Lowery]

This is unrelated to the issue on "well" but still an issue on grammar. Although the general idea is that proper nouns must be in capital letter, online dictionaries list "earth" with small letter "e" as a proper noun and use it to make sentences where "earth" is a proper noun eg "I am the luckiest person on earth." Will it be wrong to say that marking the above sentence, based on lack of capitalisation, as an error is subjective?

On the side, clarifications like these are very much appreciated and should be addressed more often on this forum. Grammar varies largely across borders and even within a bordered area. Clarification will help editors understand what's subjective and what isn't. Thank you so much for this.

Since you can find supporting evidence for both capitalizing and not capitalizing, I consider these subjective. I only mention it if there is inconsistency in the use of capital letters for that noun, but even that is tricky because some style guides state that you only capitalize earth when it is listed with other planets.