Hyphenation of adverbs ending in -ly

spiros · 1 · 1278

spiros

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As with so many hypercorrections, the hyphen following an -ly adverb is essentially redundant, since the word’s spelling signals that it is modifying another. Nevertheless, we do see such errors:

And second, these same members are now openly threatening a revolt against Boehner through a rarely-used procedural maneuver that could—conceivably—oust him from power.
—The Atlantic, 2 September 2015
Never hyphenate an "-ly" adverb - Hypercorrections: Are you making these 6 common mistakes? | Merriam-Webster


 

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