Hyphens in Compound Adjectives and Numbers — Answers
Answer sheet with model answers and success criteria for the 6th Grade punctuation worksheet.
Success TutoringWorksheetsAnswer sheet6th Grade · English · PunctuationHyphens in Compound Adjectives and Numbers — Answers
Part A: Which one is right?
A hyphen (-) joins words into one idea. Circle the correctly punctuated choice.
- AShe owns a ten year old horse.
- BShe owns a ten-year-old horse.
- CShe owns a ten-year old horse.
- DShe owns a ten year-old horse.
Answer: She owns a ten-year-old horse.
"Ten-year-old" works as one adjective before the noun horse, so all three words are joined with hyphens.
- AThe song is well-known.
- BThe song is well known.
- CThe well known song played.
- DThe song is well, known.
Answer: The song is well known.
When the compound comes after the noun it describes, it usually does not need a hyphen. Before the noun it does: a well-known song.
- Aforty six
- Bforty-six
- Cforty—six
- Dfortysix
Answer: forty-six
Numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine are written with a hyphen.
- Aa brightly-lit room
- Ba brightly lit room
- Ca brightly, lit room
- Da bright-ly lit room
Answer: a brightly lit room
Do not use a hyphen after an adverb ending in -ly.
Part B: Hyphenate the compound adjective
Add hyphens to compound adjectives that come before a noun. If a sentence is already correct, copy it as it is.
Answer: We ate at a family-owned restaurant.
Answer: Lena wrote a five-page report.
Page stays singular inside the compound adjective.
Answer: The bluebonnets made a blue-and-white blanket across the hill.
Answer: It was a last-minute change.
Answer: The change was last minute.
No hyphen is needed: the compound comes after the noun it describes.
Part C: Numbers, fractions, and prefixes
Write each one correctly with a hyphen.
Answer: eighty-seven
Answer: two-thirds
A written fraction used on its own, as in two-thirds of the class, takes a hyphen.
Answer: ex-president
Answer: self-confident
Answer: pre-Columbian
Use a hyphen when a prefix comes before a capital letter.
Answer: all-star
Part D: Hyphen or dash?
A hyphen (-) joins words. A dash (—) separates ideas.
- AOnly one thing was missing—the key.
- BOnly one thing was missing-the key.
- COnly one thing—was missing the key.
- DOnly one—thing was missing the key.
Answer: Only one thing was missing—the key.
A dash (—) is longer than a hyphen. It sets off an idea for emphasis. A hyphen joins words into one.
- AWe had a well planned trip.
- BI knew who did it, my brother.
- CThree colors are on the flag, red, white, and blue.
- DShe ran fast.
Answer: We had a well planned trip.
"Well-planned" is a compound adjective before the noun trip.
Part E: True or false?
Circle True or False.
Answer: True
Answer: False
No hyphen is used after -ly adverbs: a nicely written card.
Answer: True
Answer: False
A hyphen is short and joins words. A dash is longer and separates ideas.
Part F: Your turn
Model answer: Come to the all-school talent show this Friday! You will see twenty-four acts, from a hip-hop dance crew to a one-man band. Bring a self-made sign to cheer for your friends. This family-friendly event starts at 6:30 p.m. in the gym.
Success criteria:
- At least two hyphenated compound adjectives before nouns
- A number from twenty-one to ninety-nine written with a hyphen
- A word with the prefix self-, ex-, or all- and a hyphen
- No hyphens after -ly adverbs or in compounds that follow the noun
Marking tips
- Give credit for correct method even when the final answer slips — the working shows where the thinking went right.
- For open-ended tasks, use the success criteria as a checklist rather than looking for one "right" answer.
- Celebrate what went well first, then pick one thing to work on next.
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