Grammar question: phrase as a noun descriptor

August 30, 2021 5:29 AM

Would you punctuate this sentence any differently? I made a "how to work from home" document that everyone should read.

The words how to work from home describe the word document, but I think it's best to put them in quotation marks to make it more clear. Another option would be to hyphenate the phrase (how-to-work-from-home) instead, but I think that's a case of too many hyphens. Are there any other better options? No quotes at all, for example?

posted by zardoz to Writing & Language (11 answers total)

i would use a different phrasing....

I made a document with tips (instructions, advice, requirements?) on how to work remote from the office that everyone should read.

(Not that its critical but i changed home because I don't like the phrase work from home... Covid notwithstanding I have been a remote employee for much of my career...is the document relevant if I'm at a cafe, parents house, business travel hotel... Or is it specifically don't wear pajamas type advice?)
posted by chasles at 5:37 AM on August 30, 2021 [5 favorites]

Looks good to me--personally, I'd use "I wrote" instead of "I made," but the meaning comes across.
posted by kingdead at 5:41 AM on August 30, 2021 [5 favorites]

If you want that same wording, I would just capitalize it. I made a How To Work From Home document everyone should read.

But I don't like the sound of the sentence itself so would change it:

Work remotely? You should read this.

Title of Document -- a must-read if you work remotely!

etc.
posted by dobbs at 5:42 AM on August 30, 2021 [5 favorites]

Best answer: Veteran copy editor here. The quotes are the best choice, hyphens are acceptable but clunky. You definitely need something there, though.
posted by scratch at 5:43 AM on August 30, 2021 [18 favorites]

Ultimately, since “How to Work from Home” is the title of the document, this is ultimately just a question of how to style titles, which everyone does differently. As long as it’s clear you’re referring to a title, you’ll be fine. I like the way you’ve got it now, personally.
posted by kevinbelt at 5:46 AM on August 30, 2021 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thanks all. To clarify, I am basically transcribing this, so there's no rewriting it. And it's not the title of the document, so I don't think capitalizing the words works. It's saying here's a document, one of many in existence, that describe how to work from home.
posted by zardoz at 6:00 AM on August 30, 2021

In that case, I think how you have it (with the quotes, lowercase) is the best you can do with it.
posted by ejs at 6:43 AM on August 30, 2021

"I compiled a guide on working from home"
posted by wellifyouinsist at 7:49 AM on August 30, 2021 [1 favorite]

Another copy editor here. I agree with Scratch -- quote marks are your best bet here.
posted by BlahLaLa at 2:26 PM on August 30, 2021

The punctuation is correct as you have it. “How to work from home” requires either hyphens or quotation marks. And it is, as you say, too much for hyphens.
posted by SLC Mom at 5:53 PM on August 30, 2021

Gotta agree with the how-to-work-from-home-would-have-too-many-hyphens folks.
posted by mpark at 8:29 AM on August 31, 2021 [1 favorite]