Trick or Treat? Big, Bad, Scary Hyphenated Words—Oh My!

Trick or Treat? The dreaded hyphen is out to get you this Halloween! Folks just can’t win when it comes to hyphens. 

Hyphens can be complicated–and subjective. To hyphenate or not to hyphenate? It often depends on how the words are being used in the sentence. A style guide (like Chicago Style) or grammar book will come in handy (or hire an editor or proofreader!). For a quick overview, I recommend this online reference from GrammarBook.com. This checklist might also help you review your writing:

• Do you need the hyphens you’ve used? Ensure you're using hyphens correctly.
• For your hyphenated words, ensure that unnecessary spaces have not been inserted before or after the hyphen.
• Are there any words or phrases that are missing the necessary hyphenation?
• Are your hyphenated words clear? Or would the sentence benefit from different word choice or a rewrite?

Here are a few examples (with my notations) from some business websites I ran across recently. Unfortunately, I often encounter these types of errors on the homepage and other primary pages, such as About Us, Services, etc... I’ve blurred some of the text to prevent embarrassment. These errors are easy to make–but also easy to correct. They are proof that even simple website copy needs a fresh set of eyes for quality assurance. It’s exactly why Luminary Works offers its Website Review service as a budget-friendly option to ensure your site shines with top-notch professionalism!

​Don’t let bad grammar and punctuation play tricks on you. Let your error-free message be the ultimate treat for your customers!

Happy Halloween from Luminary Works!