Overuse of Hyphens: A Common Writing Mistake

Overuse of Hyphens: A Common Writing Mistake

managed services new york city

Overuse of Hyphens: A Common Writing Mistake


Ah, the hyphen. That small, unassuming dash that sits patiently on our keyboards, waiting to connect words and thoughts. Its a useful tool, absolutely. But like any tool, it can be misused.

Overuse of Hyphens: A Common Writing Mistake - managed service new york

  1. managed service new york
  2. managed services new york city
  3. managed service new york
  4. managed services new york city
  5. managed service new york
  6. managed services new york city
  7. managed service new york
  8. managed services new york city
And when it comes to writing, overuse of hyphens is a surprisingly common mistake (one Ive definitely been guilty of in the past, I confess!). It can make your writing look cluttered, awkward, and frankly, a little bit frantic.


Think about it. A well-placed hyphen can clarify meaning, especially when dealing with compound adjectives before a noun.

Overuse of Hyphens: A Common Writing Mistake - managed services new york city

    For example, "a well-written essay" is much clearer than "a well written essay."

    Overuse of Hyphens: A Common Writing Mistake - managed service new york

    1. managed service new york
    2. check
    3. managed services new york city
    4. managed service new york
    5. check
    6. managed services new york city
    7. managed service new york
    8. check
    The hyphen instantly tells us that "well" and "written" are working together to describe the essay. Its a team effort! However, when we start hyphenating everything in sight, we end up with sentences that look like linguistic Frankenstein monsters.


    Why do we do it?

    Overuse of Hyphens: A Common Writing Mistake - check

    1. managed services new york city
    2. managed services new york city
    3. managed services new york city
    4. managed services new york city
    5. managed services new york city
    6. managed services new york city
    7. managed services new york city
    8. managed services new york city
    9. managed services new york city
    10. managed services new york city
    11. managed services new york city
    12. managed services new york city
    13. managed services new york city
    14. managed services new york city
    Sometimes its out of fear. Fear of ambiguity, fear of being misunderstood.

    Overuse of Hyphens: A Common Writing Mistake - check

    1. check
    2. managed service new york
    3. managed services new york city
    4. check
    5. managed service new york
    6. managed services new york city
    7. check
    8. managed service new york
    9. managed services new york city
    10. check
    11. managed service new york
    12. managed services new york city
    13. check
    14. managed service new york
    15. managed services new york city
    We might think that adding a hyphen will make our meaning crystal clear.

    Overuse of Hyphens: A Common Writing Mistake - managed it security services provider

    1. managed services new york city
    2. check
    3. managed services new york city
    4. check
    5. managed services new york city
    6. check
    7. managed services new york city
    8. check
    9. managed services new york city
    10. check
    11. managed services new york city
    12. check
    13. managed services new york city
    14. check
    Other times, its just a habit. We see a couple of words together and instinctively reach for that little dash, without really considering if its necessary. (Guilty again, Im afraid!)


    The problem is that too many hyphens disrupt the flow of reading. Our eyes have to pause and process each hyphenated word, which slows down comprehension and makes the writing feel choppy. Its like driving on a road filled with speed bumps – you eventually just get annoyed.


    So, whats the solution? Be mindful.

    Overuse of Hyphens: A Common Writing Mistake - check

    1. managed services new york city
    2. managed service new york
    3. managed service new york
    4. managed service new york
    5. managed service new york
    6. managed service new york
    7. managed service new york
    8. managed service new york
    9. managed service new york
    10. managed service new york
    Before you automatically hyphenate, ask yourself: "Is this hyphen truly necessary?"

    Overuse of Hyphens: A Common Writing Mistake - managed services new york city

    1. managed services new york city
    2. managed services new york city
    3. managed services new york city
    4. managed services new york city
    5. managed services new york city
    6. managed services new york city
    7. managed services new york city
    8. managed services new york city
    9. managed services new york city
    10. managed services new york city
    11. managed services new york city
    Can I rewrite the sentence to avoid the need for it? Are these words already commonly used as a compound adjective (like "high school")? Often, the answer is no.


    Remember, good writing is all about clarity and conciseness. A well-placed hyphen can contribute to that, but an overabundance of hyphens can actually detract from it. So, embrace the power of the hyphen, but use it wisely (and sparingly!).

    Overuse of Hyphens: A Common Writing Mistake - managed service new york

      Your readers will thank you for it. And your writing will be much more readable as a result (a win-win situation, wouldnt you agree?).

      The Role of Style Guides in Hyphen Usage