Common mistake missing hyphen in adjectives with 'non/anti'

Common Mistake: Missing Hyphen in Adjectives with 'non/anti'

When it comes to using adjectives that begin with the prefixes 'non-' or 'anti-', one common mistake that people often make is forgetting to use a hyphen.

Why is the Hyphen Important?

The hyphen is important because it helps to clarify the meaning of the adjective and avoids confusion. When the hyphen is missing, the two words can potentially be interpreted as separate entities, leading to a different understanding of the adjective as a whole.

Examples of Common Mistakes:

  • Incorrect: nonstop ✘
  • Correct: non-stop ✔
  • Incorrect: antiaging ✘
  • Correct: anti-aging ✔

Exceptions:

While many adjectives with the prefixes 'non-' and 'anti-' require a hyphen, there are a few exceptions:

  • The word 'nonprofit' does not require a hyphen.
  • When the adjective is formed by combining 'non' or 'anti' with a proper noun, the hyphen is typically not used.

It's important to pay attention to these exceptions to ensure proper usage of the hyphen.

Linguix Grammar Checker: If you want to avoid the common mistake of missing hyphens in adjectives with 'non-' or 'anti-', you can use the Linguix grammar checker. It will help you catch any hyphenation errors and provide suggestions for improvement.

missing hyphen in adjectives with 'non/anti' mistake examples

  • Incorrect:
    He is non American

    Correct:
    He is non-American

  • Incorrect:
    This is non alcoholic traditional drink.

    Correct:
    This is non-alcoholic traditional drink.

  • Incorrect:
    Maybe you used non standard commands?

    Correct:
    Maybe you used non-standard commands?

  • Incorrect:
    Roy almost brought the US to its knees in the early 1950s in an orgy of anti communist rights.

    Correct:
    Roy almost brought the US to its knees in the early 1950s in an orgy of anti-communist rights.

  • Incorrect:
    Non religious people comprised the 32.0% of the population

    Correct:
    Non-religious people comprised the 32.0% of the population

  • Correct:
    Non compos mentis (Latin) is a legal term.
  • Correct:
    When I time them myself using a non new relic source.
  • Correct:
    Non Khun District.
  • Correct:
    Non nobis solum.
  • Correct:
    Non occides.
  • Correct:
    Anti Up
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