Worksheet on using hyphens to avoid ambiguity in sentences.
A worksheet titled "Hyphens to Avoid Ambiguity" with instructions and ten sentences for students to identify where hyphens are needed, featuring two cartoon children and the CGP logo.
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Show Answer Key & Explanations
Step-by-step solution for: Hyphens to Avoid Ambiguity (Year 6) | CGP Plus
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Show Answer Key & Explanations
Step-by-step solution for: Hyphens to Avoid Ambiguity (Year 6) | CGP Plus
Let's solve the task from the image step by step.
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The worksheet is titled "Hyphens to Avoid Ambiguity" and explains that hyphens are used:
- To avoid ambiguity
- To create compound adjectives
- To join prefixes to root words
- To indicate two-digit (and higher) numbers
- To show ages
We are asked to underline the word or words in each sentence that need a hyphen, and then explain why the hyphen is needed.
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1. The teacher managed to deescalate the fight before anyone got hurt.
- ✔ No hyphen needed.
- "Deescalate" is a single word (a verb), not a compound adjective or number.
- Explanation: No hyphen required because it’s a standard word, not a compound modifier.
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2. Priya is playing with her twelve year old cousins.
- ✘ Needs a hyphen: "twelve-year-old"
- ✔ Corrected: *twelve-year-old*
- Explanation: This is a compound adjective modifying "cousins." When a number and a noun form an adjective before a noun, they are hyphenated. "Twelve-year-old" describes the cousins' age.
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3. The slow moving cars crept along in the traffic jam.
- ✘ Needs a hyphen: "slow-moving"
- ✔ Corrected: *slow-moving*
- Explanation: "Slow-moving" is a compound adjective describing the cars. It modifies "cars" and should be hyphenated when used before the noun.
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4. Ms Moor is marking all the spelling tests after she caught Sam cheating.
- ✔ No hyphen needed.
- "Spelling tests" is a noun phrase; no compound adjective here.
- Explanation: No ambiguity or compound structure requiring a hyphen.
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5. For my birthday, I received twenty two presents.
- ✘ Needs a hyphen: "twenty-two"
- ✔ Corrected: *twenty-two*
- Explanation: When writing two-digit numbers as words, they are hyphenated. "Twenty-two" is a compound number.
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6. He works as a mechanic fixing cars part time.
- ✘ Needs a hyphen: "part-time"
- ✔ Corrected: *part-time*
- Explanation: "Part-time" is a compound adjective describing how he works. It modifies "mechanic" (or "job"), so it needs a hyphen.
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7. My mum is going to recover our sofa because it got stained.
- ✔ No hyphen needed.
- "Recover" is a verb here, meaning to clean or restore.
- Explanation: No compound adjective or number present.
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8. The police are looking for a tall clean shaven man.
- ✘ Needs a hyphen: "clean-shaven"
- ✔ Corrected: *clean-shaven*
- Explanation: "Clean-shaven" is a compound adjective describing the man. It's a common compound word and must be hyphenated when used before a noun.
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9. The classroom was full of twenty eight year olds drawing dinosaurs.
- ✘ Needs hyphenation: "twenty-eight-year-olds"
- ✔ Corrected: *twenty-eight-year-olds*
- Explanation: This is a compound adjective describing the group of children. "Twenty-eight-year-olds" refers to people who are 28 years old. Hyphens are used to connect all parts of the compound modifier.
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10. The lightning fast runner crossed the finish line.
- ✘ Needs a hyphen: "lightning-fast"
- ✔ Corrected: *lightning-fast*
- Explanation: "Lightning-fast" is a compound adjective modifying "runner." It means extremely fast, like lightning. It must be hyphenated when used before the noun.
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| Sentence | Word(s) to Underline | Why the Hyphen is Needed |
|--------|----------------------|----------------------------|
| 1 | None | Not needed; "deescalate" is a single word. |
| 2 | twelve year old | Compound adjective: "twelve-year-old" describes the cousins. |
| 3 | slow moving | Compound adjective: "slow-moving" describes the cars. |
| 4 | None | No compound or number. |
| 5 | twenty two | Two-digit number: "twenty-two". |
| 6 | part time | Compound adjective: "part-time" describes the job. |
| 7 | None | No hyphen needed. |
| 8 | clean shaven | Compound adjective: "clean-shaven" describes the man. |
| 9 | twenty eight year olds | Compound adjective: "twenty-eight-year-olds" describes the age group. |
| 10 | lightning fast | Compound adjective: "lightning-fast" describes the runner. |
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- Use hyphens for compound adjectives before nouns.
- Use hyphens for numbers like twenty-two, thirty-five.
- Use hyphens for prefixes like pre-paid, re-cover (though not in these examples).
- Do not use hyphens when the compound comes after the noun or if it's a standalone word.
Let me know if you'd like this formatted as a printable answer sheet!
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Task Overview:
The worksheet is titled "Hyphens to Avoid Ambiguity" and explains that hyphens are used:
- To avoid ambiguity
- To create compound adjectives
- To join prefixes to root words
- To indicate two-digit (and higher) numbers
- To show ages
We are asked to underline the word or words in each sentence that need a hyphen, and then explain why the hyphen is needed.
---
Solutions with Explanations
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1. The teacher managed to deescalate the fight before anyone got hurt.
- ✔ No hyphen needed.
- "Deescalate" is a single word (a verb), not a compound adjective or number.
- Explanation: No hyphen required because it’s a standard word, not a compound modifier.
---
2. Priya is playing with her twelve year old cousins.
- ✘ Needs a hyphen: "twelve-year-old"
- ✔ Corrected: *twelve-year-old*
- Explanation: This is a compound adjective modifying "cousins." When a number and a noun form an adjective before a noun, they are hyphenated. "Twelve-year-old" describes the cousins' age.
---
3. The slow moving cars crept along in the traffic jam.
- ✘ Needs a hyphen: "slow-moving"
- ✔ Corrected: *slow-moving*
- Explanation: "Slow-moving" is a compound adjective describing the cars. It modifies "cars" and should be hyphenated when used before the noun.
---
4. Ms Moor is marking all the spelling tests after she caught Sam cheating.
- ✔ No hyphen needed.
- "Spelling tests" is a noun phrase; no compound adjective here.
- Explanation: No ambiguity or compound structure requiring a hyphen.
---
5. For my birthday, I received twenty two presents.
- ✘ Needs a hyphen: "twenty-two"
- ✔ Corrected: *twenty-two*
- Explanation: When writing two-digit numbers as words, they are hyphenated. "Twenty-two" is a compound number.
---
6. He works as a mechanic fixing cars part time.
- ✘ Needs a hyphen: "part-time"
- ✔ Corrected: *part-time*
- Explanation: "Part-time" is a compound adjective describing how he works. It modifies "mechanic" (or "job"), so it needs a hyphen.
---
7. My mum is going to recover our sofa because it got stained.
- ✔ No hyphen needed.
- "Recover" is a verb here, meaning to clean or restore.
- Explanation: No compound adjective or number present.
---
8. The police are looking for a tall clean shaven man.
- ✘ Needs a hyphen: "clean-shaven"
- ✔ Corrected: *clean-shaven*
- Explanation: "Clean-shaven" is a compound adjective describing the man. It's a common compound word and must be hyphenated when used before a noun.
---
9. The classroom was full of twenty eight year olds drawing dinosaurs.
- ✘ Needs hyphenation: "twenty-eight-year-olds"
- ✔ Corrected: *twenty-eight-year-olds*
- Explanation: This is a compound adjective describing the group of children. "Twenty-eight-year-olds" refers to people who are 28 years old. Hyphens are used to connect all parts of the compound modifier.
---
10. The lightning fast runner crossed the finish line.
- ✘ Needs a hyphen: "lightning-fast"
- ✔ Corrected: *lightning-fast*
- Explanation: "Lightning-fast" is a compound adjective modifying "runner." It means extremely fast, like lightning. It must be hyphenated when used before the noun.
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✔ Final Answers:
| Sentence | Word(s) to Underline | Why the Hyphen is Needed |
|--------|----------------------|----------------------------|
| 1 | None | Not needed; "deescalate" is a single word. |
| 2 | twelve year old | Compound adjective: "twelve-year-old" describes the cousins. |
| 3 | slow moving | Compound adjective: "slow-moving" describes the cars. |
| 4 | None | No compound or number. |
| 5 | twenty two | Two-digit number: "twenty-two". |
| 6 | part time | Compound adjective: "part-time" describes the job. |
| 7 | None | No hyphen needed. |
| 8 | clean shaven | Compound adjective: "clean-shaven" describes the man. |
| 9 | twenty eight year olds | Compound adjective: "twenty-eight-year-olds" describes the age group. |
| 10 | lightning fast | Compound adjective: "lightning-fast" describes the runner. |
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💡 Summary Tips:
- Use hyphens for compound adjectives before nouns.
- Use hyphens for numbers like twenty-two, thirty-five.
- Use hyphens for prefixes like pre-paid, re-cover (though not in these examples).
- Do not use hyphens when the compound comes after the noun or if it's a standalone word.
Let me know if you'd like this formatted as a printable answer sheet!
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of hyphens worksheet.
