Question

Which sentence contains a word that needs a hyphen?

A. Jordan decided to resign from the candidacy.
B. Allen would need to resign the forms.
C. Bridget would need to recover the lost flier.
D. Sally's body will recover eventually.

Answer 1

The sentence that requires a hyphen is 'Allen would need to resign the forms,' where 'resign' should be 're-sign.' Hyphens join words serving as a single modifier, as seen in 'paint-splattered' and 'dog-eared.'

Step-by-step explanation:

The sentence that contains a word that needs a hyphen is B. 'Allen would need to resign the forms.' A hyphen is used to join two or more words serving as a single modifier before a noun. In this context, 're-sign' should have a hyphen because Allen needs to sign the forms again, not resign, which means to quit a job or position.

Example 3 - That novelty shop on the boardwalk sells peanuts that are chocolate-covered.

In Example 3, 'chocolate-covered' should be hyphenated to clarify that 'chocolate' is directly modifying 'peanuts.' Without the hyphen, there could be confusion about what is covered in chocolate.

Review Question 1

I have nothing to wear for my job interview but a paint-splattered tie.

Review Question 5

Walter said I could use his, even though it was dog-eared and had missing pages.

Answer 2

B. Allen would need to resign the forms.