To solve the problem, we need to identify whether each sentence requires a hyphen (`-`), an em dash (`—`), or no punctuation at all. Let's analyze each sentence step by step:
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Sentence 1:
Original Sentence:
Elizabeth wants me to take her two year old son to daycare today.
Analysis:
The phrase "two year old" is a compound adjective describing "son." Compound adjectives that come before a noun are typically hyphenated to clarify their relationship. Without the hyphen, it could be misread as "two-year-old son" versus "two-year old son."
Corrected Sentence:
Elizabeth wants me to take her two-year-old son to daycare today.
Answer:
Hyphen
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Sentence 2:
Original Sentence:
Mary is a very focused and strong willed woman.
Analysis:
The phrase "strong willed" is another compound adjective describing "woman." Similar to the previous sentence, these words should be hyphenated to indicate they function as a single unit.
Corrected Sentence:
Mary is a very focused and strong-willed woman.
Answer:
Hyphen
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Sentence 3:
Original Sentence:
The football team lost last 13 14.
Analysis:
The numbers "13 14" likely represent a score (e.g., 13–14). In such cases, a hyphen is used to connect the numbers, indicating the score of the game.
Corrected Sentence:
The football team lost last 13–14.
Answer:
Hyphen
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Sentence 4:
Original Sentence:
Lisa my mother needs to make a visit soon.
Analysis:
This sentence is missing a conjunction or punctuation to separate "Lisa" and "my mother." An em dash can be used here to provide emphasis or to introduce a clarification.
Corrected Sentence:
Lisa—my mother—needs to make a visit soon.
Answer:
Em dash
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Sentence 5:
Original Sentence:
I am going to make dinner tonight if I forget the meat at the store.
Analysis:
This sentence is grammatically correct as it stands. There is no need for a hyphen or an em dash because the sentence is clear and coherent without additional punctuation.
Corrected Sentence:
I am going to make dinner tonight if I forget the meat at the store.
Answer:
No punctuation
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Sentence 6:
Original Sentence:
The drive from Little Rock Springfield isn’t that bad.
Analysis:
The phrase "from Little Rock Springfield" suggests a directional movement between two places. To clarify this relationship, a hyphen is needed to connect the two place names.
Corrected Sentence:
The drive from Little Rock–Springfield isn’t that bad.
Answer:
Hyphen
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Final Answers:
1. Hyphen
2. Hyphen
3. Hyphen
4. Em dash
5. No punctuation
6. Hyphen
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Boxed Final Answer:
\boxed{\text{Hyphen, Hyphen, Hyphen, Em dash, No punctuation, Hyphen}}
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of dashes worksheet with answers.
