Exceptions to the Rule: When to Skip the Hyphen

Even when a compound adjective precedes the noun it modifies

Image from PDPics from Pixabay

In my post “When You Should Hyphenate, Open, or Close a Compound Word,” I explain a few rules, including:

When an open compound word is used as a compound adjective that precedes the noun it modifies, it should be hyphenated.

This rule applies in the following examples:

• She is a well-liked student.
• That was an ill-advised decision.
• This contains high-quality ingredients.
• That is a little-known secret.

As with most grammatical rules, though, there are exceptions. Consider the following sentences:

• Of the two, that is the more popular option.
• In the group, this is the most popular option.
• Of the pair, that is the less popular option.
• In the group, this is the least popular option.

Philip Corbett, associate managing editor for standards at the New York Times, once stated: “In general, comparative or superlative modifiers with ‘more,’ ‘most,’ ‘less’ or ‘least’ don’t require hyphens. Use one only if it’s needed to avoid ambiguity.” If references to things such as…