Hypenate these words?

No hyphen. Your instincts are good, but adverbs ending in "ly" are not hyphenated in compounds like this.

Gregg Bell said:

Hey. I'll include two sentences for some context, but what I really want to know is if highly favored should be hyphenated. [/COLOR]

So is it:

How you traveled in the Navy was a clue to the regard the big brass had for you. The highly-favored shuttled around in lightning fast, luxurious Navy jets.
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or

How you traveled in the Navy was a clue to the regard the big brass had for you. The highly favored shuttled around in lightning fast, luxurious Navy jets.


I think it should be hyphenated because otherwise it's confusing as it's like an adverb (highly) modifying an adjective (favored). Hyphenating them seems to link them and make them a noun.
​

Thanks.

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Never hyphen a word that ends in ly https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/6-common-hypercorrections-and-how-to-avoid-them/hyphenating-ly-adverbs Scroll down.

Cindyt said:

Never hyphen a word that ends in ly

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Willy-nilly.

be frank said:

Willy-nilly.

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be frank said:

Willy-nilly.

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Ohhhkay, lol. Never hyphenate -ly unless otherwise stated by your preferred dictionary. Some are special and do get hyphenated. Most don't. If in doubt, check it out. If it's listed, don't miss it.

Fallen said:

Ohhhkay, lol. Never hyphenate -ly unless otherwise stated by your preferred dictionary. Some are special and do get hyphenated. Most don't. If in doubt, check it out. If it's listed, don't miss it.

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My point is to be wary of blanket statements that include qualifiers like "never" or "always" or "never except for in these very specific circumstances" a la i after e except after c ... but also if your feisty foreign atheist neighbour Keith receives eight counterfeit sleighs.

That is, "Never use hyphens after -ly words" isn't actually always true. (But my previous post used fewer words to say it).

It's risky to say "never" about just about anything to do with the English language, because as languages go, English is somewhat . . . disorganized. And cranky.

Gregg Bell said:

Thanks Cindy. I looked at the Merriam-webster but they're talking about adverbs in front of adjectives in front of a noun. I'm talking about an adverb in front of an adjective. Unless it's the sort of thing like:

favored=favored ones (the 'ones' being implied).

P.S. Love the 'ammunition' line in your sig. I'm adopting it for myself.

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You're welcome. Adapt adopt away. Love your blog layout!

be frank said:

Willy-nilly.

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Cindyt said:

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I've learned something today about grammar.