Section N: The Hyphen (Quiz)

1. Sixty one of sixty five people passed the math test.

Sixty-one of sixty-five people passed the math test.

The given statement is a repetition of the information provided in a different format. It states that out of a group of sixty-five people, sixty-one of them passed the math test.

Explanation

The given statement is a repetition of the information provided in a different format. It states that out of a group of sixty-five people, sixty-one of them passed the math test.

2. The blue green color is the one I want my bedroom painted.

The blue-green color is the one I want my bedroom painted.

The given sentence is correct because it uses the hyphen correctly to combine the words "blue" and "green" into a compound adjective "blue-green." This compound adjective describes the color of paint desired for the bedroom.

Explanation

The given sentence is correct because it uses the hyphen correctly to combine the words "blue" and "green" into a compound adjective "blue-green." This compound adjective describes the color of paint desired for the bedroom.

3. Does your father in law work downtown?

Does your father-in-law work downtown?

The correct answer is "Does your father-in-law work downtown?" The question is asking about the location of the father-in-law's workplace. The hyphen in "father-in-law" is necessary to indicate that the person being referred to is the father of one's spouse.

Explanation

The correct answer is "Does your father-in-law work downtown?" The question is asking about the location of the father-in-law's workplace. The hyphen in "father-in-law" is necessary to indicate that the person being referred to is the father of one's spouse.

4. Fourteen of my twenty five coworkers are from out of state.

Fourteen of my twenty-five co-workers are from out of state.

The given sentence is stating that out of the total number of coworkers, which is 25, fourteen of them are from out of state. The correct answer restates the sentence correctly, using the hyphen to connect the words "twenty" and "five" as one compound adjective to describe the coworkers.

Explanation

The given sentence is stating that out of the total number of coworkers, which is 25, fourteen of them are from out of state. The correct answer restates the sentence correctly, using the hyphen to connect the words "twenty" and "five" as one compound adjective to describe the coworkers.

5. The pretty as a princess girl waved at me and came over.

The pretty-as-a-princess girl waved at me and came over.

The correct answer is "The pretty-as-a-princess girl waved at me and came over" because the phrase "pretty-as-a-princess" is a compound adjective that describes the girl. The hyphens are necessary to connect the words and create a single modifier. Without the hyphens, the sentence would be grammatically incorrect and would not convey the intended meaning.

Explanation

The correct answer is "The pretty-as-a-princess girl waved at me and came over" because the phrase "pretty-as-a-princess" is a compound adjective that describes the girl. The hyphens are necessary to connect the words and create a single modifier. Without the hyphens, the sentence would be grammatically incorrect and would not convey the intended meaning.