Tricky Little Things

By: Philip B. Corbett | New York Times

Questions about where to put hyphens — and more often, where not to — may seem trivial, even pedantic. But small errors can distract and annoy readers who should be focused on the substance of our reporting. And getting the little things right contributes to the overall polish and intelligence of our journalism.

Unfortunately, perfection has proved elusive on the hyphen front recently.