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Marjatta Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
Is "goal setting" hyphenated?
Hello all,
When using the term "goal setting," is it hyphenated when it is not used as an adjective?
For example:
- Goal setting is important if you want to achieve your dreams.
- Follow these rules for healthy goal setting.
I don't believe that "goal setting" should be hyphenated in these examples, but I think it would be hyphenated if used as follows:
- Follow these goal-setting rules.
I've seen it written both ways but haven't yet found a definitive answer.
Thanks in advance for your guidance!
Marjatta
When using the term "goal setting," is it hyphenated when it is not used as an adjective?
For example:
- Goal setting is important if you want to achieve your dreams.
- Follow these rules for healthy goal setting.
I don't believe that "goal setting" should be hyphenated in these examples, but I think it would be hyphenated if used as follows:
- Follow these goal-setting rules.
I've seen it written both ways but haven't yet found a definitive answer.
Thanks in advance for your guidance!
Marjatta
Top answer
Really, that's an awkward way to word it. I think your best bet would be to go with 'setting goals' (or a goal). - Setting goals is important if you want to achieve your dreams.
- Really, that's an awkward way to word it.
- I think your best bet would be to go with 'setting goals' (or a goal).
- - Setting goals is important if you want to achieve your dreams.
- - Follow these rules to set a healthy goal.
- To keep it as goal-setting, it would be hyphenated.
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2 Answers
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Really, that's an awkward way to word it. I think your best bet would be to go with 'setting goals' (or a goal).
- Setting goals is important if you want to achieve your dreams.
- Follow these rules to set a healthy goal.
To keep it as goal-setting, it would be hyphenated.
- Setting goals is important if you want to achieve your dreams.
- Follow these rules to set a healthy goal.
To keep it as goal-setting, it would be hyphenated.
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Hi evelyn1,
Thanks! Yes, I agree it's awkward, but someone else wrote it and I'm not at liberty to change it (although I will definitely try to convince them).
So if the sentences were to be kept the way they were written, "goal-setting" would require a hyphen. Is that because it would be considered a single process, like trend-setting, for example?
Thanks again!
Thanks! Yes, I agree it's awkward, but someone else wrote it and I'm not at liberty to change it (although I will definitely try to convince them).
So if the sentences were to be kept the way they were written, "goal-setting" would require a hyphen. Is that because it would be considered a single process, like trend-setting, for example?
Thanks again!
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