dashes -------

Just for starters, a hyphen is used to combine words, not a dash.

scully931 said:

Since you all were SO much help with my last question, I have another about dashes.

It was her fault they were being subjected to an end of the school year lesson in the first place.

end-of-the-school-year lesson? Looks like so many dashes.

Thank you so much!

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This is correct (and so is alley about those being hyphens, not dashes). You're basically combining several words to make one long hyphenated adjective (to modify "lesson").

I suppose it looks a bit strange, but I've definitely seen longer hyphenated phrases (in published books, and also in my own work. I tend to be overly fond of them).

I use them a lot, too. What you have is correct.

You could rewrite that sentence as:

It was her fault that they were being subjected to an end of school year lesson. (or "end-of-school-year"). I would drop the "in the first place".

Deciding on whether to use a hyphen to create an compound adjective can be trickly. Sometimes you have to ask yourself if the modfying adjective form is clear without being hyphenated. In the sentence I wrote above, I think it is, but I don't claim to be a grammar expert. I also think it would be okay to use the hyphens. How's that for being wishy-washy? ;-)

scully931 said:

end-of-the-school-year lesson? Looks like so many dashes.

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Yes, that's correct. You just keep piling as many hyphens in there as needed. However, I second the suggestion to rephrase. Perhaps:

It was her fault they were being subjected to a lesson at the end of the school year.

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