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Discussion » Questions » Language » What are some phrases containing words that should be hyphenated but many people do not include the necessary hyphen(s)?

What are some phrases containing words that should be hyphenated but many people do not include the necessary hyphen(s)?

toll-free
man-portable
slow-cooked
thin-sliced
state-of-the-art


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Posted - September 17, 2016

Responses


  • Those aren't phrases. They are actually a form of compound words. They would be phrases if unhyphenated, but with it they become hyphenated compound words.
      September 17, 2016 6:55 AM MDT
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  • 53414
    No, compound words differ from hyphenated two-word phrases in that the two separate words in the former don't need a hyphen. For example:

    bedroom
    hairpin
    staircase
    heartbeat
    eyeball
    firearms
    toothache


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      September 17, 2016 7:00 AM MDT
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  • Nope. Both are. Compound words come in both hyphenated and non-hyphenated form.
    http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-a-compound-word.htm

      September 20, 2016 12:55 PM MDT
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  • 53414
    Then they're both phrases, don't you agree?
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      September 20, 2016 8:30 PM MDT
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