hyphenate adverbs

Meanings

1. 1phrasetransitive

   To connect an adverb to another word using a hyphen (-).

   Grammar: Takes an object: hyphenate adverbs (or a specific adverb). Often used in writing advice.

   Patterns

   • hyphenate adverbs
   • hyphenate an adverb
   • hyphenate adverbs before nouns

   In English, you usually do not hyphenate adverbs that end in -ly when they come before an adjective.

   The editor asked us to hyphenate adverbs like 'well' when they form a compound before a noun.

2. 2phraseidiom

   The act of joining an adverb with another word by a hyphen, especially in compound modifiers.

   Grammar: Used as a topic or instruction; often in the phrase 'the rule for hyphenating adverbs'.

   Patterns

   • the rule for hyphenating adverbs
   • hyphenating adverbs correctly

   Hyphenating adverbs correctly can be tricky for learners of English.

   She wrote a guide on hyphenating adverbs in academic writing.

Common combinations

hyphenate adverbs before nouns

You should hyphenate adverbs like 'well' before nouns: a well-known artist.

rule for hyphenating adverbs

The rule for hyphenating adverbs is often misunderstood.

hyphenate compound adverbs

Some style guides recommend hyphenating compound adverbs.

Word family

hyphen noun

The punctuation mark (-) used to join words.

hyphenation noun

The process or result of joining words with hyphens.

Commonly confused: hyphenate adverbs or hyphenate?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “hyphenate adverbs”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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