Test Your Knowledge On The Correct Use Of Hyphens.

1. Which of the following sentences contains a correctly placed hyphen?

There are fifty-five students enrolled for the course.

There are fifty five students enrolled for the course.

There are fifty five-students enrolled for the course.

The first answer is correct because the compound number contains a hyphen.

Explanation

The first answer is correct because the compound number contains a hyphen.

2. Which of the following sentences is grammatically correct?

We ate chocolate filled pastries for desert.

We ate chocolate-filled pastries for dessert.

We ate pastries for dessert that were chocolate-filled.

The second option is grammatically correct because the hyphen is used in a compound adjective that is used before the noun.

Explanation

The second option is grammatically correct because the hyphen is used in a compound adjective that is used before the noun.

3. Hyphens should not be used when using compound numbers between 21 and 99.

True

False

The correct answer is false. Hyphens should be used when using numbers between 21 and 99.

Explanation

The correct answer is false. Hyphens should be used when using numbers between 21 and 99.

4. Select the following sentence(s) that correctly use a hyphen.

Football is an injury-prone sport.

Football is an injury prone sport.

Football players are more prone-to-injury.

The first option is the only correct option because the compound adjective is before the noun and contains the hyphen.

Explanation

The first option is the only correct option because the compound adjective is before the noun and contains the hyphen.

5. Which of the following sentences is grammatically correct?

The television show was about man eating sharks.

The television show was about man-eating sharks.

The television-show was about man eating sharks.

The second answer is correct because the hyphen is used in the compound adjective before the noun.

Explanation

The second answer is correct because the hyphen is used in the compound adjective before the noun.

6. Which sentence correctly uses a hyphen?

My son made the A-list in his kindergarten class this week.

My son made the A list in his kindergarten class this week.

My son made the A list in his kinder-garten class this week.

The first option is the correct answer because the hyphen is used when a letter is added to the beginning of the word "list."

Explanation

The first option is the correct answer because the hyphen is used when a letter is added to the beginning of the word "list."

7. When should a hyphen be used?

Within a compound adjective that comes after a noun.

Within a compound adjective that comes before a noun.

Both the first and second option are correct.

None of the above are correct.

The second option is correct. A hyphen should only be used within a compound adjective that comes before a noun.

Explanation

The second option is correct. A hyphen should only be used within a compound adjective that comes before a noun.

8. He gave me a ____________ look when I suggested skydiving as our next adventure.

The term "wide-eyed" is correctly hyphenated to describe a compound adjective, where two or more words are combined to modify a noun ("look," in this case) and express a single concept. Hyphens are often used in compound adjectives before nouns to clarify that the words work together as a unit of meaning, avoiding ambiguity.

Explanation

The term "wide-eyed" is correctly hyphenated to describe a compound adjective, where two or more words are combined to modify a noun ("look," in this case) and express a single concept. Hyphens are often used in compound adjectives before nouns to clarify that the words work together as a unit of meaning, avoiding ambiguity.

Submit

9. Which of the following sentences are misusing hyphens?

The books found in the attic are dust-covered.

The dust-covered books were found in the attic.

I won a twenty-five dollar gift card at the raffle event.

At the raffle event I won a twenty five dollar gift-card.

The correct answers are the first and last options. The first option uses the hyphen in the compound adjective after the noun which is a misuse of the hyphen. The last option has a hyphen where is should not be used. Instead the hyphen should be within the compound number. The second and third options are correctly using hyphens.

Explanation

The correct answers are the first and last options. The first option uses the hyphen in the compound adjective after the noun which is a misuse of the hyphen. The last option has a hyphen where is should not be used. Instead the hyphen should be within the compound number. The second and third options are correctly using hyphens.

Submit

10. Which of the following phrases should contain a hyphen?

Pre historic

Post graduate degree

Mid December

mid-December correctly uses a hyphen because a prefix added to a word that must be capitalized requires a hyphen after the prefix.

Explanation

mid-December correctly uses a hyphen because a prefix added to a word that must be capitalized requires a hyphen after the prefix.