Q. My understanding is that the word family is a noun or adjective. So if you use it in a sentence like “We ordered a family-sized pizza for the party,” is the hyphen used correctly in this instance despite the fact family ends in ly?
A. When CMOS 5.93 says “A two-word phrasal adjective that begins with an adverb ending in -ly is not hyphenated,” it’s referring to adverbs (not nouns or adjectives) where -ly is added to a root word: slyly, gladly. Words like ply, homily, and family happen to end in -ly, but the -ly is not an ending; it’s part of the word. And they aren’t adverbs. The section of the hyphenation table (CMOS 7.89) that you’re looking for is “noun + participle” (family + sized), where you will see that the hyphen is correct.
[This answer relies on the 17th edition of CMOS (2017) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. I’ve read the sections on prefixes and on parentheses with other punctuation, and would be glad if you would weigh in on the following type of structure: (pre)defined or (pre-)defined; (sub)set or (sub-)set. I think it would be reasonable to rule that solid prefixes in parentheses remain solid, and hyphenated prefixes retain their hyphenation. I would generally explain such compact forms before proceeding to use them. Or, if they occur only occasionally, simply expand them. What do you think?
A. Chicago style closes up prefixes whenever possible, and we discourage constructions like (sub)set, which are at worst meaningless and at best ambiguous. “Set or subset” is clearer. Writers who distinguish “defined” from “predefined” should make sure the difference isn’t just of the “sliced/presliced bread” type.
[This answer relies on the 17th edition of CMOS (2017) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. We use postdoctoral as one word. Should we then also use postbaccalaureate as one word for consistency, even though spell check wants a hyphen or space? Both are being used as adjectives.
A. Unless your spelling checker follows the same style manual you do, you should feel free to disregard it! Chicago closes up words with the prefix post-, as does Merriam-Webster.
[This answer relies on the 17th edition of CMOS (2017) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. When using an en dash to indicate a range of time, is it wrong to use from in front of the time range (from 9am–5pm)?
A. Although most readers will know what you mean by it, “from 9–5” is inelegant because it uses a spelled-out word for the from part of the expression and lets a symbol (the en dash) take the place of the to part of the expression. The reader is left hanging, waiting for the to part, as in “We work a variety of shifts, anywhere from 9–5 to 11–3.” Or “Several age ranges were surveyed, from 5–10 to 70–75.” If you want to use from with 9–5, make the to explicit: We work from 9 to 5. Otherwise omit from: We work 9–5.
[This answer relies on the 17th edition of CMOS (2017) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. When announcing a fundraising event, is it hyphenated or not? Stay at Home Tea or Stay-at-Home Tea?
A. There are no special punctuation rules for fundraising events. Your event title requires hyphens (as in the second example). However, if your event were called Golden Anniversary Tea, or Empty Nesters’ Tea, it would not. Please see the hyphenation table at CMOS 7.89 to learn more about when to hyphenate.
[This answer relies on the 17th edition of CMOS (2017) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. Dear CMS, I am nearly done revising my dissertation, but my advisor may not pass me on account of my lengthy em dashes! I am using Times New Roman, and apparently the em dashes are too long. Is the standard em dash in Times acceptable for thesis publication? If so, can I point my advisor to something in the CMS on this? (I am serious. I don’t think she would not pass me, but she has circled every em dash and said, “Too long. Fix!” on my drafts, and I’d like not to chance it.)
A. Well, that’s pretty crazy. For publication, it makes no difference what font is in the manuscript—typesetters follow the publisher’s specs, not a Word document or printout—but it looks as though you might have to change the font for your dissertation. Palatino has shorter em dashes than Times Roman, for instance. If you are required to use Times Roman, then change only the dashes to Palatino and maybe no one will notice. You can make a global replacement. Good luck!
[This answer relies on the 17th edition of CMOS (2017) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. I am editing a magazine article related to real estate and am struggling with how to hyphenate the descriptions. “With seven bedrooms, four full and two half bathrooms, this home has 6,000 square feet of living space.” Also, “This is a 2,000 square foot, fully renovated four bedroom, three and a half bathroom home.” What does CMOS suggest?
A. Thank you for asking! Reading real estate ads can be painful for us. Your first sentence is passable; the second one needs a lot of hyphens. Please refer to many such examples in the hyphenation table at CMOS 7.89. If a compound phrase (number + noun) serves as an adjective and comes before the noun it modifies, it usually needs hyphens:
a three-and-a-half-bathroom home
a four-bedroom townhouse
a 600-square-foot studio
a 2,000-square-foot, fully renovated four-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bathroom home
If the compound phrase (number + noun) serves as a noun itself and does not modify a noun that follows, it does not need hyphens:
a home with three and a half bathrooms
a townhouse with four bedrooms
a studio of 600 square feet
a home with seven bedrooms, four full and two half bathrooms, and 6,000 square feet of living space
[This answer relies on the 17th edition of CMOS (2017) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. If you are referring to a street address that includes two adjacent buildings, do you use an en dash or and between them? I’m working on a project that uses the following, and I’ve put in an en dash, but I’m wondering if and would be better: “the full interior renovation of 619–623 West 113th Street.”
A. If the two buildings are separate, and is a better way to indicate that. If one building takes up two lots, the en dash is appropriate.
[This answer relies on the 17th edition of CMOS (2017) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. My staff and I encountered a phrase and there’s a bit of debate as to how to hyphenate it: Wall Street darling-ready. Some believe an en dash should be inserted between Street and darling, followed by the hyphen between darling and ready. Others, however, feel the addition of the en dash would make the phrase even more difficult to interpret for readers. Thoughts?
A. I’m sorry, but the phrase looks like nonsense; I don’t think you can save it by tacking on hyphens or dashes. Please rewrite the sentence and—as they say—murder your darling.
[This answer relies on the 17th edition of CMOS (2017) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. Is this a true phrasal adjective, in which case it should be hyphenated as shown, or should it not be hyphenated? “We offer innovative and technologically-advanced solutions.” There is a difference of opinions.
A. Although this is a phrasal adjective (an adjective, advanced, that is modified by an adverb, technologically), Chicago style does not hyphenate compound modifiers formed with adverbs ending in -ly. Please see CMOS 7.85 and 7.86.
[This answer relies on the 17th edition of CMOS (2017) unless otherwise noted.]