Tag: dash and hyphen

Questions Related to dash and hyphen

Choose the option that best corrects the sentence.

He was planning to paint the house, or was he, when the roof caved in.

dash and hyphen punctuation english

  1. NO CHANGE

  2. He was planning to paint the house; or was he? when the roof caved in.

  3. He was planning to paint the house - or was he? - when the roof caved in.

  4. He was planning to paint the house, or was he - when the roof caved in.

Show answer
Correct Option: C
Explanation:
According to general rule, em dashes are used to set off parenthetical information, as using em dashes, on both sides, puts the focus on the information between the em dashes. 
Thus, in the given sentence, the use of em dash, Option C, will be correct.
Option A and B are incorrect, as em dashes serve as harder versions of commas an semi colons, they can be used to replace commas in the given sentence.
Option D is incorrect - As a rule, a pair of em dashes should be used to set off parenthetical elements.

Surgeons, doctors and nurses; all went on strike to protest low wages.

Choose the option that best corrects the sentence.

dash and hyphen punctuation english

  1. NO CHANGE

  2. Surgeons, doctors and nurses: all went on strike to protest low wages.

  3. Surgeons, doctors and nurses (all went on strike to protest low wages).

  4. Surgeons, doctors and nurses - all went on strike to protest low wages.

Show answer
Correct Option: D
Explanation:
According to general rule, the em dash is often used to resume a scattered subject in a sentence. Thus, the correct answer in the given sentence must be Option D.
Option A is incorrect. A semi colon is used to connect two independent clauses in a sentence.
Option B is incorrect. A colon is used to introduce a list of items in a sentence.
Option C is incorrect. A pair of parentheses is used to add additional information in a sentence.

Choose the option that best corrects the given sentence:
The sound effects to the shower scene in Hitchcock's film, Psycho, which included spine-tingling violin music and the sound of a gurgling shower; left viewers with a harrowing sensation.

dash and hyphen punctuation english

  1. NO CHANGE

  2. The sound effects to the shower scene in Hitchcock's film, Psycho; which included spine-tingling violin music and the sound of a gurgling shower; left viewers with a harrowing sensation.

  3. The sound effects to the shower scene in Hitchcock's film, Psycho, which included spine-tingling violin music and the sound of a gurgling shower: left viewers with a harrowing sensation.

  4. The sound effects to the shower scene in Hitchcock's film, Psycho - which included spine-tingling violin music and the sound of a gurgling shower - left viewers with a harrowing sensation.

Show answer
Correct Option: D
Explanation:
According to general rule, em dashes are used to set off parenthetical information, as using em dashes, on both sides, puts the focus on the information between the em dashes. 
Thus, in the given sentence, the use of em dash, Option D, will be correct.
The remaining options are incorrect, as em dashes serve as harder versions of commas, semi colons and  can be used to replace colon in a sentence.

The review team, besides conducting staff evaluations, conducted on site visits to check safety measures.

Choose the option that best corrects the sentence.

dash and hyphen punctuation english

  1. The review team - besides conducting staff evaluations - conducted on site visits to check safety measures.

  2. The review team, besides conducting staff evaluations - conducted on-site visits to check safety measures.

  3. The review team, besides conducting staff evaluations, conducted on-site visits to check safety measures.

  4. NO CHANGE

Show answer
Correct Option: C
Explanation:
According to general rule, a hyphen is used to connect two words to make it clear to readers that the words work together as a unit of meaning. In the given sentence, 'on-site' is one such word.
A comma must be used to set off non essential information in a sentence.
Thus, the correct answer is Option C. The other remaining options are incorrect, according to the rules.

There has been an increase; much to the outrage of the people - in food prices this year.

Choose the option that best corrects the sentence.

dash and hyphen punctuation english

  1. There has been an increase, much to the outrage of the people - in food prices this year.

  2. There has been an increase, much to the outrage of the people; in food prices this year.

  3. There has been an increase - much to the outrage of the people - in food prices this year.

  4. NO CHANGE

Show answer
Correct Option: C
Explanation:
According to general rule, em dashes are used to set off parenthetical information, as using em dashes, on both sides, puts the focus on the information between the em dashes. 
Thus, in the given sentence, the use of em dash, Option C, will be correct.
Option A and D are incorrect - As a rule, a pair of em dashes should be used to set off parenthetical elements.
Option B is incorrect, as em dashes serve as harder versions of commas an semi colons, they can be used to replace commas in the given sentence.

Tim, Jane, Theodore and Heather - all decided to play tennis last evening.

Choose the option that best corrects the sentence.

dash and hyphen punctuation english

  1. Tim, Jane, Theodore and Heather; all decided to play tennis last evening.

  2. Tim, Jane, Theodore and Heather: all decided to play tennis last evening.

  3. Tim, Jane, Theodore and Heather (all decided to play tennis last evening).

  4. NO CHANGE

Show answer
Correct Option: D
Explanation:
According to general rule, the em dash is often used to resume a scattered subject in a sentence. Thus, the correct answer in the given sentence must be Option D, no change.
Option A is incorrect. A semi colon is used to connect two independent clauses in a sentence.
Option B is incorrect. A colon is used to introduce a list of items in a sentence.
Option C is incorrect. A pair of parentheses is used to add additional information in a sentence.

The organization's biggest concern besides care for their nutrition and shelter was care for their emotional well being.

Choose the option that best completes the sentence.

dash and hyphen punctuation english

  1. The organizations' biggest concern besides care for their nutrition and shelter, was care for their emotional well being.

  2. The organization's biggest concern, besides care for their nutrition and shelter, was care for their emotional well-being.

  3. The organization's biggest concern - besides care for their nutrition and shelter - was care for their emotional well being.

  4. NO CHANGE

Show answer
Correct Option: B,C

(Line 1) He was not only the editor in chief, but also one of the first jour
(Line 2) nalists who wrote for the newspaper.

Choose the option that best corrects the sentence.

dash and hyphen punctuation english

  1. No Change

  2. He was not only the editor-in-chief, but also one of the first jour

    nalists who wrote for the newspaper.

  3. He was not only the editor-in-chief, but also one of the first jour-

    nalists who wrote for the newspaper.

  4. He was not only the editor in chief, but also one of the first jour-

    nalists who wrote for the newspaper.

Show answer
Correct Option: C
Explanation:
When flowing text, it is sometimes preferable to break a word in half so that it continues on another line rather than moving the entire word to the next line. 
The word may be divided at the nearest break point between syllables, and a hyphen inserted to indicate that the letters form a word fragment, rather than a full word.
Compound adjectives are connected using en dash.
According to the following rules, the correct form of writing the sentence is, as given in Option C.

(Line 1) The South American continent is home to the world's highest uninterrupt
(Line 2) ed waterfall, Angel Falls.

Choose the option that best corrects the sentence

dash and hyphen punctuation english

  1. No Change

  2. The South-American continent is home to the world's highest uninterrupt-
    ed water-fall, Angel Falls.

  3. The South-American continent is home to the world's highest uninterrupt
    ed waterfall, Angel Falls.

  4. The South American continent is home to the world's highest uninterrupt-
    ed waterfall, Angel Falls.

Show answer
Correct Option: D
Explanation:
When flowing text, it is sometimes preferable to break a word in half so that it continues on another line rather than moving the entire word to the next line. 
The word may be divided at the nearest break point between syllables, and a hyphen inserted to indicate that the letters form a word fragment, rather than a full word.
Words, like waterfall are closed compound words, so they do not require a hyphen.
Thus, the correct answer is Option D. The other remaining options are incorrect.
Choose the option that best corrects the sentence:
Hannah changed her diet and became a non-vegetarian.
dash and hyphen punctuation english

  1. Hannah changed her diet and become a non-vegetarian.

  2. Hannah changed her diet and became a non-vegetarian.

  3. Hannah change her diet and became a non vegetarian.

  4. NO CHANGE

Show answer
Correct Option: D
Explanation:
According to general rule, certain compound words require hyphens between every word. These are known as hyphenated compound words.
In the given sentence, 'non-vegetarian' is an example o such a word.
Thus, the correct form of writing the sentence is Option D. The remaining options are incorrect.