Explanation
PerfectIt checks if a word that is hyphenated also appears without hyphenation (either as one word or as two).
Suggestion
Style guides differ as to when hyphenation is appropriate.
However, authors should be consistent. A phrase that is hyphenated in one part of the document should be hyphenated in the rest of the document.
Exception 1: Adjectival Phrases
A hyphenated phrase that also appears in the predicate position will not always be hyphenated. For example, ‘hand made’ is hyphenated in (a) but not in (b):
the hand-made shoes
the shoes are hand made
Exception 2: Differences in Meaning
A phrase with hyphens may also appear without hyphens if the hyphen changes the meaning.
For example, the meaning of ‘re-creation’ is different from ‘recreation’ and both may appear in the same document.
Customizing the Check
You can set preferences for hyphenation in the Always Find and Never Find tabs of the style sheet editor or you can customize the check as you work.