compound-001 should GuidesAPI docsMarketingBlog Do not hyphenate compound modifiers that include an adverb ending in -ly.
Compound modifiers
Compound modifiers are normally hyphenated before the noun they modify; that baseline rule lives on the punctuation page. This page covers the two standing exceptions, where the grammar already does the hyphen’s work.
No hyphen after -ly adverbs
Section titled “No hyphen after -ly adverbs”Examples
- ✓ a fully managed service
- ✗ a fully-managed service
Rationale
An -ly adverb already attaches to the word it modifies, so a hyphen is redundant, as in “a fully managed service.”
No hyphen after linking verbs
Section titled “No hyphen after linking verbs”compound-002 should GuidesAPI docsMarketingBlog In general, do not hyphenate a compound modifier that follows a linking verb (predicate adjective position).
Examples
- ✓ The API is well documented.
- ✗ The API is well-documented.
Rationale
After a linking verb the words are not modifying a following noun, so no hyphen is needed, as in “the API is well documented.”