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Anonymous Posted 20 years ago
Vocabulary

Value-added services or value added services?

Value-added services or value added services?

When are you really supposed to have a dash (correct?) in between two words and when are you not?
  

Top answer

Generally, we hyphenate when the phrase pre-modifies, but much depends on usage, and that usually depends on clarity and understanding. In this case, if we ask Ms Google, we see that the usage is roughly split. The phrase is well understood, and nothing is lost by omitting the hyphen.

  • Generally, we hyphenate when the phrase pre-modifies, but much depends on usage, and that usually depends on clarity and understanding.
  • In this case, if we ask Ms Google, we see that the usage is roughly split.
  • The phrase is well understood, and nothing is lost by omitting the hyphen.
  • In other cases, it can be the cause of confusion: A fine toothed comb is not necessarily the same as a fine-toothed comb , and the punctuation becomes important.
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1 Answers
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Generally, we hyphenate when the phrase pre-modifies, but much depends on usage, and that usually depends on clarity and understanding. In this case, if we ask Ms Google, we see that the usage is roughly split. The phrase is well understood, and nothing is lost by omitting the hyphen.

In other cases, it can be the cause of confusion: A fine toothed comb is not necessarily the sa

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