Section N: The Hyphen (practice)

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| By Anderscj

Anderscj

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Quizzes Created: 20 | Total Attempts: 15,922

Questions: 14 | Attempts: 541 | Updated: Mar 22, 2023

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Add hyphens where necessary in the following sentences.

Questions and Answers

1.

I just realized that I have twenty seven cousins on my mom’s side.
- A.
  
  I just realized that I have twenty-seven cousins on my mom’s side.
Correct Answer
A. I just realized that I have twenty-seven cousins on my mom’s side.

Explanation
The answer is correct because it accurately restates the statement given in the question. It uses the correct spelling and punctuation, including the hyphen in "twenty-seven" to indicate that it is a compound number. The answer also maintains the same tense and structure as the original statement.

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1
3
2.

Three fourths of them live in Wisconsin.
- A.
  
  Three-fourths of them live in Wisconsin.
Correct Answer
A. Three-fourths of them live in Wisconsin.

Explanation
The correct answer is "Three-fourths of them live in Wisconsin." This is the correct way to express that three-fourths of a group of people live in Wisconsin. The fraction "three-fourths" is written as a numeral and a hyphenated word, and the verb "live" is used to indicate their place of residence.

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0
1
3.

The catch all drawer in our kitchen really needs to be cleaned.
- A.
  
  The catch-all drawer in our kitchen really needs to be cleaned.
Correct Answer
A. The catch-all drawer in our kitchen really needs to be cleaned.

Explanation
The correct answer is "The catch-all drawer in our kitchen really needs to be cleaned." The phrase "catch all" is a compound adjective that describes the drawer as a place where various items are collected or stored. Therefore, it should be hyphenated as "catch-all" to properly convey its meaning.

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2
1
4.

Mom gave me a don’t even think about it look.
- A.
  
  Mom gave me a don’t-even-think-about-it look.
Correct Answer
A. Mom gave me a don’t-even-think-about-it look.

Explanation
The correct answer is "Mom gave me a don’t-even-think-about-it look." This answer is correct because it accurately represents the statement in the given context. The phrase "don't even think about it" is used to convey a strong warning or prohibition, and the hyphens in "don't-even-think-about-it" indicate that it is a compound adjective modifying the noun "look." The hyphens help to clarify the meaning and prevent any confusion about the intended interpretation of the phrase.

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5.

I heard that seven foot doctors were meeting today to discuss athlete’s foot.
- A.
  
  I heard that seven foot-doctors were meeting today to discuss athlete’s foot.
Correct Answer
A. I heard that seven foot-doctors were meeting today to discuss athlete’s foot.

Explanation
The sentence is correct as it is written. It indicates that the speaker heard about a meeting where seven foot-doctors were gathering to discuss athlete's foot. The use of hyphen between "foot" and "doctors" suggests that the doctors specialize in foot-related issues. The sentence is grammatically accurate and conveys the intended meaning clearly.

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0
1
6.

Those are her can’t catch me shoes.
- A.
  
  Those are her can’t-catch-me shoes.
Correct Answer
A. Those are her can’t-catch-me shoes.

Explanation
The sentence is describing a pair of shoes that belong to someone. The phrase "can't catch me" suggests that the shoes are very fast or difficult to catch. By adding a hyphen between "can't" and "catch-me," it clarifies that "can't catch me" is a compound modifier describing the shoes. Therefore, the correct answer is "Those are her can't-catch-me shoes."

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7.

I went out to dinner with my mother in law last night.
- A.
  
  I went out to dinner with my mother-in-law last night.
Correct Answer
A. I went out to dinner with my mother-in-law last night.

Explanation
The correct answer is "I went out to dinner with my mother-in-law last night." The explanation is that the phrase "mother-in-law" should be hyphenated when used as a compound adjective before a noun, such as "mother-in-law last night." This is a common rule in English grammar for compound adjectives.

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8.

We invited thirty seven or thirty eight people to the barbecue.
- A.
  
  We invited thirty-seven or thirty-eight people to the barbecue.
Correct Answer
A. We invited thirty-seven or thirty-eight people to the barbecue.

Explanation
The correct answer is "We invited thirty-seven or thirty-eight people to the barbecue." This answer is correct because it correctly uses hyphens to indicate the numbers thirty-seven and thirty-eight as compound adjectives modifying the noun "people". When writing numbers between twenty-one and ninety-nine as compound adjectives, it is important to use hyphens to join the two words together. In this case, both numbers are written correctly with hyphens, making the answer grammatically accurate.

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9.

I saw a six inch worm on the sidewalk.
- A.
  
  I saw a six-inch worm on the sidewalk.
Correct Answer
A. I saw a six-inch worm on the sidewalk.

Explanation
The correct answer is "I saw a six-inch worm on the sidewalk." The answer is correct because it properly uses hyphenation to indicate that the worm is six inches long. The hyphen between "six" and "inch" connects the two words to form a compound adjective that describes the worm's length. Additionally, the use of quotation marks around "six-inch" helps to emphasize the specific measurement of the worm.

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10.

The bride to be looked nervous when she walked down the aisle.
- A.
  
  The bride-to-be looked nervous when she walked down the aisle.
Correct Answer
A. The bride-to-be looked nervous when she walked down the aisle.

Explanation
The correct answer is "The bride-to-be looked nervous when she walked down the aisle." The hyphen is necessary in this sentence because it is used to connect the words "bride" and "to-be" into a compound adjective that describes the bride. Without the hyphen, the sentence would be grammatically incorrect and would not convey the intended meaning.

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11.

I have a brother in law who travels overseas all the time.
- A.
  
  I have a brother-in-law who travels overseas all the time.
Correct Answer
A. I have a brother-in-law who travels overseas all the time.

Explanation
The correct answer is "I have a brother-in-law who travels overseas all the time." The correct answer uses hyphens to correctly form the compound word "brother-in-law." Hyphens are used to join words together to create a single concept or to clarify the relationship between words. In this case, "brother-in-law" is a compound word that refers to the husband of one's sibling. The correct answer also uses the correct verb tense and word order to convey the meaning that the brother-in-law frequently travels overseas.

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12.

There are forty eight people in line to buy tickets right now.
- A.
  
  There are forty-eight people in line to buy tickets right now.
Correct Answer
A. There are forty-eight people in line to buy tickets right now.

Explanation
The explanation for the given correct answer is that the sentence is stating the number of people in line to buy tickets at the present moment. The sentence is correctly written with the number "forty-eight" spelled out with a hyphen in between. This is the standard way of writing numbers between twenty-one and ninety-nine.

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13.

Seven eighths of the puppies are black and white.
- A.
  
  Seven-eighths of the puppies are black and white.
Correct Answer
A. Seven-eighths of the puppies are black and white.

Explanation
The given statement states that seven-eighths of the puppies are black and white. This means that out of every eight puppies, seven of them have the color combination of black and white.

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0
1
14.

The queen’s lady in waiting stood in the background waiting for orders.
- A.
  
  The queen’s lady-in-waiting stood in the background waiting for orders.
Correct Answer
A. The queen’s lady-in-waiting stood in the background waiting for orders.

Explanation
The correct answer is "The queen’s lady-in-waiting stood in the background waiting for orders." The phrase "lady-in-waiting" is a compound noun that refers to a female attendant or companion to a queen or princess. It is hyphenated to indicate that it functions as a single unit modifying the noun "queen." The hyphen helps clarify the meaning and avoids confusion between a lady who is waiting and a lady who is in the act of waiting.

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Current Version
Mar 22, 2023

Quiz Edited by
ProProfs Editorial Team
Jul 19, 2008

Quiz Created by
Anderscj

Section N: The Hyphen (Practice)

I just realized that I have twenty seven cousins on my mom’s side.

Three fourths of them live in Wisconsin.

The catch all drawer in our kitchen really needs to be cleaned.

Mom gave me a don’t even think about it look.

I heard that seven foot doctors were meeting today to discuss athlete’s foot.

Those are her can’t catch me shoes.

I went out to dinner with my mother in law last night.

We invited thirty seven or thirty eight people to the barbecue.

I saw a six inch worm on the sidewalk.

The bride to be looked nervous when she walked down the aisle.

I have a brother in law who travels overseas all the time.

There are forty eight people in line to buy tickets right now.

Seven eighths of the puppies are black and white.

The queen’s lady in waiting stood in the background waiting for orders.