Lesson 421

Mechanics - Punctuation - Hyphens

Use a hyphen in compounds made up of two or more words used as an adjectiveAdjectives modify or affect the meaning of nouns and pronouns and tell us which, whose, what kind, and how many about the nouns or pronouns they modify. They come before the noun or pronoun they modify except for the predicate adjective which comes after a linking verb and modifies the subject. Source: Lesson 151 before a nounA noun is a word that names a person, place, thing, or idea. Examples: man, city, book, and courage. Nouns often follow words like a, an, and the. Source: Lesson 16.  This includes coined phrasesA phrase is a group of words used as a sentence part. It does not have a subject and a verb. It can be a noun, adjective, or adverb.  Source: Lesson 246.  Do not use a hyphen when one of the words is an adverbAdverbs are words that modify (1) verbs, (2) adjectives, and (3) other adverbs. They tell how (manner), when (time), where (place), how much (degree), and why (cause). Source: Lesson 161 ending in -ly.  These compounds will add vividness to your writing, but one should not use too many.

Example:
I received a last-minute call.

 
 
 

Instructions: Supply hyphens where they are needed in these sentences.

1. The little lost girl had that I'm going to cry again look on her face.

2. Spies must have the I like danger attitude to be successful.

3. We found many interesting things in a forty year old trunk.

4. He gave an I dare you to touch me sneer to the others.

5. Did you read that hair raising story last night?