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Mitsuo23 Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

usage of "-"

Hi,

Is there any strict rules using "-" in words such as below? Or is that OK to use these kinds of words without "-"?

Hey, it's not a scratch-and-sniff.
Coffee works as a pick-me-up.
This is a gift as a thank-you.
I'll ask you a do-over.
The break-up was a tough one.

Thank you,
M
  

Top answer

Use the hyphen, a wiser choice. You may check the dictionary: occasionally common cases become one word.

— Mister Micawber

  • Use the hyphen, a wiser choice.
  • You may check the dictionary: occasionally common cases become one word.
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8 Answers
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Use the hyphen, a wiser choice. You may check the dictionary: occasionally common cases become one word.
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Just curious ... what does "I'll ask you a do-over" mean?
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Oh, I just made that up, could not be making sense.

One of the the correct usages is:
(This is from The Office, and in this scene, they are running past a radar gun, which is set temporary in front of their office.)

Phyllis: Wow, thirteen!
Dwight: Yes!
Michael: No. No, no. There was wind.
Dwight: I was just jogging.
Michael: Dwight, there was wind. I want a do
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mitsuwao23Phyllis: Wow, thirteen!Dwight: Yes!Michael: No. No, no. There was wind.Dwight: I was just jogging.Michael: Dwight, there was wind. I want a do-over.Jim: No, no, no, it's not your turn. All right, thirteen is the new number. Oscar, go ahead.If you make too many mistakes, you’ll have to do it over.
That passage, particularly the underline
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fivejedjon There was wind
A headwind is a hazard when timing oneself with a radar gun.
fivejedjonI want a do-over.
I want to do it again.
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Mister MicawberI want to do it again.
Is 'I want a do-over' common in AmE? It sounds strange to me, though I have heard 'I want to do it over' - most Brits I know would use 'again' rather than 'over'.
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fivejedjonIs 'I want a do-over' common in AmE?
Very casual.
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