Lesson 424 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Hyphens

Use a hyphen in compounds in which mispronunciation might otherwise result. Example: pre-existence

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

1. It was hard to find an antiimperialist among the rulers of ancient Rome.

2. I believe that man had a preexistence before this life.

3. Can you deenergize that bomb in time?

4. If you take that medicine, it could cause the body to be antiimmune.

5. The concerned group was starting an antiimmoral movement.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. It was hard to find an anti-imperialist among the rulers of ancient Rome.

2. I believe that man had a pre-existence before this life.

3. Can you de-energize that bomb in time?

4. If you take that medicine, it could cause the body to be anti-immune.

5. The concerned group was starting an anti-immoral movement.

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Lesson 423 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Hyphens

Use a hyphen with special compounds such as tie-up, and drive-in.

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

1. Jim was the runner up in the race.

2. The sailors attached the ship to the tie up.

3. Let's get something to eat at a drive in.

4. The jump off was the beginning of the war.

5. This meal is certainly first rate.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. Jim was the runner-up in the race.

2. The sailors attached the ship to the tie-up.

3. Let's get something to eat at a drive-in.

4. The jump-off was the beginning of the war.

5. This meal is certainly first-rate.

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Lesson 422 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Hyphens

Use a hyphen in some compound nouns made up of a noun and a prepositional phrase. Example: sister-in-law

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

1. In the woods we saw many flowers including a jack in the pulpit.

2. One old toy that everyone used to have was a jack in the box.

3. The sergeants at arms will escort him from the courtroom.

4. The ship's captain enjoyed using the cat o' nine tails on disobedient sailors.

5. Finding the man seemed to be just a will o' the wisp.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. In the woods we saw many flowers including a jack-in-the-pulpit.

2. One old toy that everyone used to have was a jack-in-the-box.

3. The sergeants-at-arms will escort him from the courtroom.

4. The ship's captain enjoyed using the cat-o'-nine-tails on disobedient sailors.

5. Finding the man seemed to be just a will-o'-the-wisp.

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Lesson 421 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Hyphens

Use a hyphen in compounds made up of two or more words used as an adjective before a noun. This includes coined phrases. Do not use a hyphen when one of the words is an adverb 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?

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

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?

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Quiz for Lessons 416 - 420 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Hyphens

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

1. I need to get rid of my self denial if I am to recover.

2. Is that glass two thirds full?

3. I think that age forty five is rather late to start a family.

4. Our ex captain came to visit our football team.

5. Much anti United States sentiment seems to exist all over the world.

6. Long discussions continued on the mid Atlantic items.

7. His fault was that he was a self made man who loved his creator.

8. I hope to get in the ninety fifth percentile.

9. The one third minority objected to the ruling.

10. Many are worried about our vice president's health.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. I need to get rid of my self-denial if I am to recover.

2. Is that glass two-thirds full?

3. I think that age forty-five is rather late to start a family.

4. Our ex-captain came to visit our football team.

5. Much anti-United States sentiment seems to exist all over the world.

6. Long discussions continued on the mid-Atlantic items.

7. His fault was that he was a self-made man who loved his creator.

8. I hope to get in the ninety-fifth percentile.

9. The one-third minority objected to the ruling.

10. Many are worried about our vice-president's health.

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Lesson 420 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Hyphens

Use a hyphen with compounds beginning with the prefix self. Example: self-centered

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

1. That man is very self reliant in all he does.

2. To succeed you must become less self indulgent.

3. To lose weight I must be self disciplined in my eating habits.

4. He started his college career with great self determination.

5. He refused to answer the questions because of self incrimination.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. That man is very self-reliant in all he does.

2. To succeed you must become less self-indulgent.

3. To lose weight I must be self-disciplined in my eating habits.

4. He started his college career with great self-determination.

5. He refused to answer the questions because of self-incrimination.

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Lesson 419 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Hyphens

Use a hyphen with ex, elect, and vice when they are used to form part of a title. Example: president-elect

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

1. George W. Bush is now our President elect.

2. Some people wonder what will happen to our ex President.

3. Carter Jones was named vice consul to India.

4. Our vice president will now speak to us.

5. Our ex secretary will become our vice chairman next year.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. George W. Bush is now our President-elect.

2. Some people wonder what will happen to our ex-President.

3. Carter Jones was named vice-consul to India.

4. Our vice-president will now speak to us.

5. Our ex-secretary will become our vice-chairman next year.

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Lesson 418 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Hyphens

Use a hyphen in a compound adjective in which the last word is capitalized. Example: un-Christian

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

1. He was accused of unAmerican activities.

2. He would not move to New York City because he was a totally antiNew York fan.

3. Some businesses have an unEuropean attitude.

4. His unIrish sentiments caused many problems for the family.

5. Road rage certainly should be considered unChristian.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. He was accused of un-American activities.

2. He would not move to New York City because he was a totally anti-New York fan.

3. Some businesses have an un-European attitude.

4. His un-Irish sentiments caused many problems for the family.

5. Road rage certainly should be considered un-Christian.

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Lesson 417 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Hyphens

Use a hyphen in a compound adjective that is a fraction. Example: You need a two-thirds majority for passage.

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

1. For that recipe you need one fourth cup of cream.

2. Cut off three eighths of an inch from that board.

3. That bug is only seven sixteenths of an inch long.

4. A three fifths majority is really 60 percent.

5. The bylaws require a three fourths majority to change them.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. For that recipe you need one-fourth cup of cream.

2. Cut off three-eighths of an inch from that board.

3. That bug is only seven-sixteenths of an inch long.

4. A three-fifths majority is really 60 percent.

5. The bylaws require a three-fourths majority to change them.

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Lesson 416 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Hyphens

Use a hyphen in compound numbers between twenty-one and ninety-nine and when used in larger numbers like two hundred fifty-five. (Note that you do not use an and between any of the numbers as that would indicate a decimal point.) Ordinal numbers such as thirty-first, seventy-second need hyphens also.

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

1. It used to be that one had to be twenty one to vote.

2. When adding thirty four and forty two, you get seventy six.

3. One hundred thirty seven people were killed in that crash.

4. The sixty fourth running of that race was cancelled due to weather.

5. Many more privileges come to people who are sixty five or older.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. It used to be that one had to be twenty-one to vote.

2. When adding thirty-four and forty-two, you get seventy-six.

3. One hundred thirty-seven people were killed in that crash.

4. The sixty-fourth running of that race was cancelled due to weather.

5. Many more privileges come to people who are sixty-five or older.

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Quiz for Lessons 411 - 415 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Apostrophes

Instructions: Supply the apostrophes in the following sentences.

1. Capn, can I bother you for a few minutes?

2. His us look just like my ns.

3. I wish everyone had the spirit of 76.

4. Its raining again, but its worth it to me.

5. I spose that you want your money back.

6. Its mother wont let me see if its okay.

7. Theyre goin to be here at four oclock.

8. Dont do that again because youre a better person than that.

9. Your mother said your ts looked like ls, and you run your sentences together with ands.

10. Ive had it with you if you shant help me pass the class.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. Cap'n, can I bother you for a few minutes?

2. His u's look just like my n's.

3. I wish everyone had the spirit of '76.

4. It's raining again, but it's worth it to me.

5. I s'pose that you want your money back.

6. Its mother won't let me see if it's okay.

7. They're goin' to be here at four o'clock.

8. Don't do that again because you're a better person than that.

9. Your mother said your t's looked like l's, and you run your sentences together with and's.

10. I've had it with you if you shan't help me pass the class.

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Lesson 415 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Apostrophes

Use an apostrophe to indicate the plural of letters, numbers, signs, and words referred to as words. The letter, number, sign, or word is italicized but the apostrophe and "s" ('s) is not.

Examples: y's, 7's, &'s, and's

Instructions: Supply the apostrophes in the following sentences.

1. Your fs look like bs when you write.

2. Your speech had too many uhs in it.

3. Your 3s and 5s need to be clearer.

4. Always spell out your ands and don't use &s in your writing.

5. There are too many etcs in this paper.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. Your f 's look like b's when you write.

2. Your speech had too many uh's in it.

3. Your 3's and 5's need to be clearer.

4. Always spell out your and's and don't use &'s in your writing.

5. There are too many etc's in this paper.

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Lesson 414 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Apostrophes

In writing conversation, use apostrophes to show letters omitted in colloquial or careless speech.

Example: He prob'ly will be playin' football.

Instructions: Supply the apostrophes in the following sentences.

1. We are all goin with you tonight.

2. I am runnin this place, and I am not wantin any help.

3. I do not want help from you r anyone else.

4. This souwestern will be a bad storm.

5. I blieve I will be going now.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. We are all goin' with you tonight.

2. I am runnin' this place, and I am not wantin' any help.

3. I do not want help from you 'r anyone else.

4. This sou'western will be a bad storm.

5. I b'lieve I will be going now.

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Lesson 413 - Mechanics - Punctuation - Apostrophes

Use the apostrophe with the contraction o'clock (of the clock) and before the last two digits of a year. Example: I was born in '40. (the year 1940)

Instructions: Supply the apostrophes in the following sentences.

1. I graduated in 58.

2. He said that he would be here by six oclock.

3. In 41 we had the day of infamy.

4. The whole thing was over by eight oclock in 85.

5. Santa still had not come by five oclock in the morning.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. I graduated in '58.

2. He said that he would be here by six o'clock.

3. In '41 we had the day of infamy.

4. The whole thing was over by eight o'clock in '85.

5. Santa still had not come by five o'clock in the morning.

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