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Hi all!

Can anyone explain the review rules on hyphenated words?

Three or the four errors on my review were hyphens they said were needed, but which to me are subjective (and I don't use them on those words).

Curious, so that I know how to do so in the future.

Thanks!

Hi!

Could you share the sentences that contained the errors marked? The position and use of the words dictate if hyphenation is required. And you’re right—sometimes, using hyphens can be subjective.

Editor Comments:
Get ready to journey back in time to the long[-]lost kingdom of Xana.

Agatha the Beloved Queen, by Fred Pilcher, takes you on an adventure of regal proportions, guided by the knowledge[-]seeking traveler.

Anyone who likes old fairy tale[-]type stories would probably really enjoy this.

Hello again!

OBC doesn’t follow a specific style guide, so standard grammar rules apply. For punctuation rules, I have found this reference to be helpful overall: https://www.thepunctuationguide.com

In general, a compound adjective preceding the noun it modifies should be hyphenated if it would add clarity. There are exceptions to this guidance, and whether a term requires clarification can be subjective, but I have found it better to err on the side of being very clear. Here are a couple of references that address hyphenation:
https://www.thepunctuationguide.com/hyphen.html
https://www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/hyphens.asp
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writ ... n_use.html

I hope this helps.

Thanks! I'll try to follow these.

I was just about to ask about hyphenation as well. Thanks @MsH2k for the links.

Omaaluv wrote: ↑16 Aug 2022, 19:58 I was just about to ask about hyphenation as well. Thanks MsH2k for the links.

You’re very welcome. I think the Purdue website is very helpful. The articles explain the concepts overall and give excellent examples. I have spent so much time reading Purdue writing articles that I feel like an honorary Boilermaker (nickname for Purdue University students)!

Thanks.

I'm sensing that there might have been a misunderstanding between a hyphen and an em-dash at an earlier time.

Hyphens are the teeny little lines like this (-). They can be subjective in some instances (such as whether you're adhering to an American or British grammar style), but they aren't always a subjective choice. The links listed above are good to check. Take note of hyphen use when you read books, and you'll start to see certain patterns.

Em-dashes are a bit longer (—) and typically extend when you type two hyphens on your keyboard together (depending on your word processor). These are typically stylistic and can be used subjectively. They can be used as alternatives to commas, sometimes but not always. They're great for adding tonal effect and can add body to your review. Perhaps this, along with the previously mentioned stylistic preference, is where you interpreted hyphens to be subjective?

Hi! Grammarly is also a great app to use in terms of hyphenated words and how to use them correctly. I find it very helpful.