Worksheet 2: Advanced Dashes & Hyphens

Challenge yourself with exercises on compound adjectives, prefixes, and using dashes for style. Click below to print or save as a PDF.

Worksheet 2: Advanced Dashes & Hyphens

Name: _________________________   Date: _________________________

1. When to Hyphenate Adjectives

Decide if the compound adjective in each sentence needs a hyphen. If it does, rewrite the sentence correctly. If not, write "Correct".

Original: The author is well known.

Corrected:

Original: She gave me an up to date report.

Corrected:

Original: The report she gave me was up to date.

Corrected:

Original: He is a world famous chef.

Corrected:

2. Hyphenating with Prefixes

Add a hyphen where needed in the words below. Common prefixes that use hyphens include "ex-", "self-", and "all-".

1. He is my ex husband.
2. You need to be more self confident.
3. The plan was an all encompassing strategy.
4. She decided to re-elect the current official. (Note: "re" usually doesn't need a hyphen unless it prevents confusion, as in re-cover vs. recover).

3. Using Dashes for Style

Rewrite the following sentences using an em dash (—) to add emphasis or to set off a summary.

Original: Honesty, integrity, and kindness, these are the values she lived by.

Corrected:

Original: He was about to give up, but then he saw the finish line.

Corrected:

Original: My greatest weakness, my love for chocolate, was my undoing.

Corrected:

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