Quiz On Hyphens With Compound Adjectives 1

1. The hyphen makes a big difference in the meaning of the sentence.

True

False

for example: I saw a man-eating alligator.
We are describing the alligator. What type of alligator is it? It is one that eats men (or people).
I saw a man eating alligator.
This sentence without the hyphen sounds like a man is eating an alligator.

Explanation

for example: I saw a man-eating alligator.
We are describing the alligator. What type of alligator is it? It is one that eats men (or people).
I saw a man eating alligator.
This sentence without the hyphen sounds like a man is eating an alligator.

2. All numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine must include a hyphen.

True

False

You are supposed to add a hyphen between twenty-one to ninety-nine.

Explanation

You are supposed to add a hyphen between twenty-one to ninety-nine.

3. Tom has just finished writing a _________ article.

Nine-hundred-word

Nine-hundreds-word

Nine-hundred-words

Nine-hundreds-words

When we are building a compound adjective, we add a hyphen between words and get rid of 's' after each noun.

Explanation

When we are building a compound adjective, we add a hyphen between words and get rid of 's' after each noun.

4. Which one of these sentences is grammatically correct.

Our professor much-loved was sixty-five years old.

Our much-loved professor was sixty five years old.

Our much-loved professor was sixty-five years old.

Our professor much-loved was sixty five years old.

The correct answer is the third one. Much-loved modifies professor so it should be hyphenated and sixty-five is an number between 21 and 99 needs to be hyphenated as well.

Explanation

The correct answer is the third one. Much-loved modifies professor so it should be hyphenated and sixty-five is an number between 21 and 99 needs to be hyphenated as well.

5. Which one of following compound adjective is not correct?

Man-made

Post-graduate-degree

Life-long

Full-time

"Post-graduate-degree" is incorrect because compound adjectives typically don't contain more than two words linked by hyphens. The correct form would be "post-graduate" or "graduate degree," depending on the context. The other options, "man-made," "life-long," and "full-time," are all correctly formed compound adjectives.

Explanation

"Post-graduate-degree" is incorrect because compound adjectives typically don't contain more than two words linked by hyphens. The correct form would be "post-graduate" or "graduate degree," depending on the context. The other options, "man-made," "life-long," and "full-time," are all correctly formed compound adjectives.

6. Convert the following sentence into a sentence with a compound adjective. Between two classes, we usually have five minutes' break. Between two classes, we usually have a __________ break.

In the original sentence, "five minutes' break" describes the duration of the break between classes. To convert this into a sentence with a compound adjective, "five minutes" is changed to "five-minute," making it a compound adjective that directly modifies "break." In English, when numbers are used as adjectives before a noun, they are hyphenated, and the noun is typically singular, hence "five-minute break."

Explanation

In the original sentence, "five minutes' break" describes the duration of the break between classes. To convert this into a sentence with a compound adjective, "five minutes" is changed to "five-minute," making it a compound adjective that directly modifies "break." In English, when numbers are used as adjectives before a noun, they are hyphenated, and the noun is typically singular, hence "five-minute break."

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7. A hyphen should be used within a compound adjective that comes after a noun.

True

False

A hyphen is used in compound adjectives that appear before a noun to clarify meaning, like in "a well-known artist." However, when the compound adjective comes after the noun, no hyphen is needed, as in "the artist is well known." The hyphen helps to avoid ambiguity in front of the noun, but it's unnecessary afterward, as the relationship between the words is clear without it.

Explanation

A hyphen is used in compound adjectives that appear before a noun to clarify meaning, like in "a well-known artist." However, when the compound adjective comes after the noun, no hyphen is needed, as in "the artist is well known." The hyphen helps to avoid ambiguity in front of the noun, but it's unnecessary afterward, as the relationship between the words is clear without it.

8. The new lab being built now is to be ____ high.

Five storeys

Five-storey

Five-storeys

Five-storeyed

Five-storey" is a compound adjective describing the height of the lab. When using numbers as adjectives before a noun (like "storey"), they are hyphenated, making "five-storey" the correct form.

Explanation

Five-storey" is a compound adjective describing the height of the lab. When using numbers as adjectives before a noun (like "storey"), they are hyphenated, making "five-storey" the correct form.

9. Select all of the correct use of hyphenation.

Fat-free

Hard-working

World-famous

Mid-term

All of the options provided are correct uses of hyphenation:

fat-free - Correct, as it is a compound adjective describing something without fat.

hard-working - Correct, as it is a compound adjective describing someone who works hard.

world-famous - Correct, as it is a compound adjective describing someone who is famous worldwide.

mid-term - Correct, as it is a compound word typically used to describe a period in the middle of a term.

All options are properly hyphenated.

Explanation

All of the options provided are correct uses of hyphenation:

fat-free - Correct, as it is a compound adjective describing something without fat.

hard-working - Correct, as it is a compound adjective describing someone who works hard.

world-famous - Correct, as it is a compound adjective describing someone who is famous worldwide.

mid-term - Correct, as it is a compound word typically used to describe a period in the middle of a term.

All options are properly hyphenated.

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