Learning English Vocabulary Hyphenation
Jul 7, 2025
Discover the art of hyphenation and its impact on clarity in writing. Learn how to properly use hyphens in compound adjectives, like 'hard-working' and 'ten-foot.' Explore examples related to youth engagement in politics and delve into age and numerical descriptions. The hosts engage listeners with a fun quiz to reinforce these hyphenation rules, making language both intriguing and accessible.
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Brian Describes Hard-working Students
- Brian describes the young people at the school as hard-working.\n- He uses the compound adjective "hard-working" with a hyphen.
Hyphen Use in Compound Adjectives
- Compound adjectives like "hard-working" use hyphens between an adjective or adverb plus a present participle.\n- Hyphens also appear in age-related adjectives before nouns, e.g., "18-year-old".
Hyphenation for Numbers in Adjectives
- Hyphens are always used in numbers from 21 to 99 when they form compound adjectives.\n- For example, "a 40-mile run" includes a hyphen, but not when the number follows the noun.