On a few of my favorite blogs, I have noticed the same form of hyphen abuse. It is normally accepted practice to place a hyphen between two words to create a compound word. This is especially common when the two words precede a noun which they describe. For example, “a well-timed kick upside the head.” What is not acceptable is to hyphenate an adverb-adjective combo if the adverb ends in -ly. If you want to write about your “recently elected congresswoman” or your “freshly brewed coffee,” then please to be omitting the extraneous hyphen!
Thank you. Class dismissed.
(And, of course, every grammar rant is required to include numerous grammar mistakes. C’est la blogging.)
Postcard: Cannes, Un Coin de la Croisette (from my ephemera stash)
red paper boat 