Hyphens: Nouns with gerunds

On this page

• Definition of a gerund
• Noun-plus-gerund compound used as a noun
• Noun-plus-gerund compound used as an adjective

Definition of a gerund

A gerund is a present participle (a word ending in -ing) that functions as a noun: building, making, solving, spending.

• Building model airplanes is my brother’s hobby.
  [Building functions as a noun, subject of the verb is.]
• Marta is good at solving problems.
  [Solving functions as a noun, object of the preposition at.]

In English, we often create compounds formed from a noun plus a gerund; for instance, in the second example above, we could put the noun problems in front of the gerund solving and say that Marta is good at problem-solving.

In a compound of this sort, formed from a noun plus a gerund, the use of a hyphen depends in part on how the compound is being used in the sentence.

Noun-plus-gerund compound used as a noun

When compounds formed from a noun plus a gerund function as nouns, they may or may not be hyphenated.

Some noun-plus-gerund compounds are written as one word:

• housekeeping
• shipbuilding
• sightseeing
• cabinetmaking

Others are hyphenated:

• decision-making
• foot-dragging
• penny-pinching
• problem-solving

Still others are written as separate words:

• deficit spending
• book publishing
• storm chasing
• mountain climbing

And there are even some that can be written either as separate words or with a hyphen:

• power sharing or power-sharing
• team building or team-building

For that reason, it’s always best to check the spelling of these compounds in a reliable dictionary.

Tip: If the compound isn’t included in your dictionary, it’s probably written as separate words.

Noun-plus-gerund compound used as an adjective

When a noun-plus-gerund compound that is normally written as two separate words is used as an adjective before a noun, it should be hyphenated:

• a deficit-spending plan
• a mountain-climbing expedition
• a power-sharing agreement
• a team-building exercise