Hey, guys, I have been noticing some discussions about common topics related to grammar, punctuation, and word usage. So, I decided to try to clear these common misconceptions & post about a topic every three days.
I'll be taking a topic & expressing my research about it. And you can tell me your views & the next topic you want to see my research on.
Today's one is--
Now, is there something wrong with the writer? Is the person just assuming when and when not to use a hyphen?
To start, the rule says the words are hyphenated to reduce confusion.
Rule:   The words are hyphenated before a noun if they are acting as an adjective. If the same words are used after a noun, then there is no need for hyphenation.
But then, you might have come across some statements like,
Let us try to find out the reason behind this rule & its related exception.
The main reason for hyphenation is to reduce confusion with the words: small-business loans, happily married couple. That is, if the words are not hyphenated, the whole meaning of the sentence will change. Like in :
When reading the second sentence, if we had not used a hyphen it would
be :
The vacation was hassle free.
Now, the reader can assume two things :
1. The vacation was a hassle & free of cost.
Or,
2. The vacation was simply free of any hassles.
Now, how to divert the reader's attention to the desired outcome? Do we just expect that the reader will miraculously come to a conclusion the writer wants him to, or do we make it clear by using the punctuation tools we all are equipped with?
Similarly, with the first sentence, the reader can assume two things : 
1. The skies are ever golden &
2. The skies are golden every time.
Yeah, that's right. Both are the same. The meaning does not change here if we do not use a hyphen, then why should we bother using it here. The words are itself serving the purpose of explaining the sentence unambiguously. Same with all the other sentences above. There are rules & its exceptions, but they are followed only to make sense & to reduce confusion.
Hence, we should not apply only the rule rather we should look for the meaning there, too. That would ultimately lead everyone to get more comfortable in using all the punctuation rules.
I'll be taking a topic & expressing my research about it. And you can tell me your views & the next topic you want to see my research on.
Today's one is--
[size=14pt]To Hyphenate Or Not?
The ever-golden skies.
The skies are ever golden.
The skies are ever golden.
Now, is there something wrong with the writer? Is the person just assuming when and when not to use a hyphen?
To start, the rule says the words are hyphenated to reduce confusion.
Rule:   The words are hyphenated before a noun if they are acting as an adjective. If the same words are used after a noun, then there is no need for hyphenation.
But then, you might have come across some statements like,
A half-eaten breakfast.
The report was half-finished.
A hassle-free vacation.
The vacation was hassle-free.
If now we go by the rules, we would be confused as [crap]. Agreed, there are some exceptions to the rule & you would find a long list of all the words comprising of that exception. But, is that it? Do we just rote-learn every grammar & punctuation rule or should we thrive to find the reason behind it?The report was half-finished.
A hassle-free vacation.
The vacation was hassle-free.
Let us try to find out the reason behind this rule & its related exception.
The main reason for hyphenation is to reduce confusion with the words: small-business loans, happily married couple. That is, if the words are not hyphenated, the whole meaning of the sentence will change. Like in :
The skies are ever golden.
The vacation was hassle-free.
The vacation was hassle-free.
When reading the second sentence, if we had not used a hyphen it would
be :
The vacation was hassle free.
Now, the reader can assume two things :
1. The vacation was a hassle & free of cost.
Or,
2. The vacation was simply free of any hassles.
Now, how to divert the reader's attention to the desired outcome? Do we just expect that the reader will miraculously come to a conclusion the writer wants him to, or do we make it clear by using the punctuation tools we all are equipped with?
Similarly, with the first sentence, the reader can assume two things : 
1. The skies are ever golden &
2. The skies are golden every time.
Yeah, that's right. Both are the same. The meaning does not change here if we do not use a hyphen, then why should we bother using it here. The words are itself serving the purpose of explaining the sentence unambiguously. Same with all the other sentences above. There are rules & its exceptions, but they are followed only to make sense & to reduce confusion.
Hence, we should not apply only the rule rather we should look for the meaning there, too. That would ultimately lead everyone to get more comfortable in using all the punctuation rules.
Happy Thinking! Keep on researching...
