What is the difference between "on-track" and "on track"

Question

I'm trying my best since this is for a college application essay:

What is the difference between "on-track" and "on track" and which one should I use?

Here is the sentence I'm using:

Taking responsibility for my actions and keeping myself on-track was one of the most important lessons I learned last year.

Grammarly keeps telling me I'm wrong and I want to know why.

Answer 1

Grammarly, which normally should be taken as a guide to correct usage not a definitive oracle, is, in this case, correct. If you try to Google "on-track" the only hits you get will be for the un-hyphenated "on track".

This means that major dictionaries such as Collins don't recognise "on-track" as an accepted hyphenated word.

You do see it sometimes but it's better practice to use it as a phrase rather than as a hyphenated word.

Answer 2

Most of the time there is a rule that governs the difference between hyphenatd (x-y) and unhyphenated (x y) use of idiomatic prepositional phrases: when they are used as adjectives preceding the noun, they are often hyphenated; when they do not precede a noun (or are used adverbially) they are not hyphenated. Example: "an over-the-counter drug" vs. "a drug I bought over the counter".

Answer 3

Needs a hyphen when it's modifying a noun = "an on-track [SOMETHING]." Sorry but I can't really think of an example for this use case at the moment.

Doesn't need a hyphen when it's not = "let's get you back on track."

BTW: This applies to the use of hyphens to link any words. If they come BEFORE the subject (noun), you need to hyphenate. If they come AFTER it, you don't. EXAMPLES:

1. It was an on-time flight vs. The flight was on time
2. It's a custom-made shirt vs The shirt is custom made
3. He made a heart-warming speech vs. The speech he made was heart warming

Hoping I've made this clear and simple.