Final answer:
The statement about separating hyphenated elements with a comma is false. Hyphenated elements are joined together to serve as a single modifier before a noun and are not separated by commas unless functioning as individual modifiers.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement “Two or more hyphenated elements may be separated by a comma if the word and can be inserted between them.” is false. In English grammar, hyphenated elements that function as a single modifier before a noun are not typically separated by a comma. Instead, the hyphen is used to join words that work together to modify a noun, to clarify their combined function.
For example, in the phrase “chocolate-covered peanuts,” the hyphen connects “chocolate” and “covered” to clarify that the peanuts have a chocolate coating. If you are using two separate modifiers for the noun that could be connected with the word ‘and,’ then separate them with a comma, as in the phrase “The cousins, Tina, Todd, and Sam, arrived at the party together,” where the names are separate modifiers for ‘The cousins.’