quick question... GOOD WRITERS help!?

Question

does modern day have a hyphen?

a modern day image OR
a modern-day image?

Answer 1

no hyphen

Answer 2

You're creating a compound word that's acting as an adjective. To keep the reader from stumbling over it (wondering for an instant if you mean a modernday image or a modern dayimage, if that is clear)
Always hyphenate such compounds when used as preceding modifiers, as you're doing here with modern-day image. The hyphen is a form of connector, and the connection it makes prevents the potential stumble.
Granted, that stumble wouldn't be greatly distracting, but the problem is that readers have lots to do and won't put up with much that distracts them as they try to get through the item they're reading. If the reader isn't really committed to reading your text, he'll find something else to do.
Note that there's an exception to this hyphenation rule for compounds that are in common usage and are very unlikely to be misunderstood. For instance, to say "I enjoyed my high school days," you would not hyphenate high school. Unfortunately when you have to decide what compounds are OK to use without hyphens, you run into differences of opinion among the experts. That's why publications have stylebooks -- those books are a compilation of the way that publication does things, regardless of how others do.

Answer 3

Two-word modifiers are usually hyphenated. A good way to tell is to use the modifiers alone. In this case, it is not "modern image" or "day image"--it is "modern-day image."

Answer 4

In your example you are using "modern day" as a single modifier. Therefore, you should hyphenate it; modern-day.

Answer 5

no hyphen, just modern day.

Answer 6

No hyphen

Answer 7

it doesn't when i use it lol but it's just modern day