English Grammar & Punctuation Procedural 10–11 yrs

Hyphens in Prefixed Words

前缀词中的连字符

Description

Use hyphens to avoid ambiguity in compound modifiers and prefixed words, distinguishing between meanings that change based on hyphen placement

Mastery Evidence

✓ Distinguish between 'man eating shark' and 'man-eating shark' by adding or removing hyphens
✓ Use hyphens with prefixes to clarify meaning such as 'recover' versus 're-cover'
✓ Apply hyphens correctly in compound adjectives before nouns such as 'well-known author'

Assessment Prompt

Can your child explain why "a man-eating shark" and "a man eating shark" mean completely different things — and use a hyphen correctly in their own writing to avoid that kind of confusion?