2.05 Verbs

(a) Compound verbs may be either hyphenated or written solid. The only safe rule is to check your dictionary:

• freeze-dry
• mass-produce
• age-harden
• spoon-feed
• bad-mouth
• extra-bill

but

• waterproof
• downgrade
• sidetrack
• proofread

(b) If the infinitive form of the verb (e.g. to air-condition) is hyphenated, retain the hyphen in all other forms, except as illustrated in (c):

• The theatre was air-conditioned.
• You need an air-conditioning expert.

(c) Hyphenate gerunds formed from hyphenated compound verbs only if they are followed by a noun object:

• Dry cleaning is the simplest way to clean a sweater.
  but
  Dry-cleaning the sweater should remove the stain.
• Air conditioning is sometimes needed in summer.
  but
  Consider the cost in deciding whether air-conditioning the building is feasible.

© Services publics et Approvisionnement Canada, 2024
TERMIUM Plus^®, la banque de données terminologiques et linguistiques du gouvernement du Canada
Outils d'aide à la rédaction – The Canadian Style
Un produit du Bureau de la traduction