Flashcard #2 Dashes Hyphens Parentheses

Front

What is a dash?

Back

A dash (—) is a punctuation mark used to indicate a break in thought or to set off a parenthetical statement.

Front

What is a hyphen?

Back

A hyphen (-) is a punctuation mark used to join words or parts of words, such as in compound adjectives.

Front

What is the purpose of parentheses?

Back

Parentheses ( ) are used to enclose additional information or clarifications that are not essential to the main point.

Front

When should a dash be used instead of a comma?

Back

A dash is used to create a stronger break in thought or to emphasize information, while a comma indicates a softer pause.

Front

What is a compound adjective?

Back

A compound adjective is an adjective made up of two or more words that function together to modify a noun.

Front

Provide an example of a correctly used hyphen in a compound adjective.

Back

The well-known author gave a lecture.

Front

What is the difference between an en dash and an em dash?

Back

An en dash (–) is used to indicate a range (e.g., 1990–2000), while an em dash (—) is used for breaks in thought.

Front

How do you punctuate a list within a sentence?

Back

Use a colon to introduce the list and separate items with commas or semicolons.

Front

What is the correct punctuation for this sentence: 'I have three pets a dog a cat and a rabbit'?

Back

I have three pets: a dog, a cat, and a rabbit.

Front

When should you use a semicolon instead of a dash?

Back

Use a semicolon to connect closely related independent clauses without a conjunction, while a dash indicates a break in thought.