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Aug 9

Old-bike repairman or old bike-repairman?

Posted on Sunday, August 9, 2009 in Hyphenation

It depends on whether the bike is old or the repairman is old.

We often hyphenate modifying compund words to clarify the meaning:
   My grandfather is an old-furniture salesman.

Sometimes no clarification is needed:
   An antique dealer could also be called an old furniture salesman.

Modifying words preceding the noun are often hyphenated:
   My six-year-old son likes to play with toy cars.
   American-football players are usually men.

Modifying words following the noun are not hyphenated:
   My son is six years old.
   Some men are players of American football.

There are some exceptions, so check a dictionary:
   Time-sensitive documents are those which are time-sensitive.
   A left-handed catcher would catch the baseball left-handed.

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