Myriora English › Grammar and punctuation › Chapter 4: Punctuation
Hyphens
Ages 9–11Chapter 4 · Lesson 11✓ Watched
‹ Previous lessonColons and semicolons
Practise
Ten new questions every time. Answer them all, then check: you get your score, and the working for anything you missed.
In this lesson
- A hyphen joins words together.
- Use it when two words describe a noun together: a man-eating shark.
- It can also keep a prefix clear: re-cover.
- Check your hyphens say what you mean!
Your turn
Which one is punctuated correctly?
Show the answer
A blue-eyed cat. The hyphen joins blue and eyed, which describe the cat together.
The common mistake
Here's a common mistake. Lots of people forget the hyphen when two words describe a noun together. A little used car is a small car that has been used. A little-used car is one that has hardly been used!
Try it at home
Hyphen pictures: draw a man-eating shark and a man eating shark, or a little-used car and a little used car. Then invent describing phrases with hyphens for things at home (a five-minute job, a tea-stained mug).
Read the whole lesson
Hello, and welcome to Myriora English! A hyphen is a short line that joins words together. It can change the meaning of a sentence.
Look at these two. With a hyphen, a man-eating shark is a shark that eats people. Without one, a man eating shark is a man who is eating some shark!
We use a hyphen to join words that describe a noun together. A well-known author. A four-year-old girl. A blue-eyed cat.
Hyphens can also keep a prefix clear. With a hyphen, re-cover means to cover again. Without one, recover means to get better.
Let's try one together. Which one is about a shark that eats people? Say it out loud!
The one with the hyphen! Man-eating describes the shark. Well done if you got it!
Here's a common mistake. Lots of people forget the hyphen when two words describe a noun together. A little used car is a small car that has been used. A little-used car is one that has hardly been used!
Your turn! Which one is punctuated correctly? Pick the right card. You've got eight seconds, or pause the video. Go!
Time's up! A blue-eyed cat. The hyphen joins blue and eyed, which describe the cat together.
Quick review. A hyphen joins words together. Use it when two words describe a noun together: a man-eating shark. It can also keep a prefix clear: re-cover. Check your hyphens say what you mean! See you next time!