Hyphens and Dashes

How should the below sentence be punctuated?

Newburyport a small town in Massachusetts is the place she calls home.

• Newburyport- a small town in Massachusetts- is the place she calls home.

• Newburyport — small town in Massachusetts — is the place she calls home.

• Newburyport —a small town in Massachusetts is the place she calls home.

• Newburyport a small town in Massachusetts - is the place she calls home.

How should the below sentence be punctuated?

He who shall not be named is coming up the stairs.

• He-who-shall-not-be-named is coming up the stairs.

• He — who — shall — not — be —named is coming up the stairs.

• He who shall not be named — is coming up the stairs.

• No change necessary.

How should the below sentence be punctuated?

Harvard one of the most selective schools in the nation is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

• Harvard-one of the most selective schools in the nation is located--in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

• Harvard one of the most selective schools in the nation is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

• Harvard--one of the most selective schools in the nation--is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

• Harvard, one of the most selective schools in the nation--is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

What sign do we use when two parents decide to give their child both of their last names?

• comma

• long dash

• hyphen

• ellipses

How should the red portion of this sentence be punctuated?

A twelve year old boy was caught pulling the fire alarm.

• twelve year old

• twelve-year-old

• twelve-year, old

• twelve year-old

Which of the below sentences correctly uses hyphens?

• I am excited to-play the piano.

• George smelled nasty-after soccer practice.

• I made a bigger-than-my-face apple pie for the picnic.

• CMS is hosting a Blue-and-Gold-Night.

How would you change the red portion of the sentence?

The school trip, which is scheduled for September 12th--will involve stopping for lunch at an authentic Himalayan restaurant.

• Keep AS IS

• school trip which is scheduled

• school trip--which is scheduled

• school trip-which is scheduled

Which information in the below sentence should be offset using long dashes?

My friend Mark a doctor at Cooper Hospital treats patients with mental illnesses.

• Mark a doctor

• a doctor

• a doctor at Cooper Hospital

• with mental illnesses

Which information in the below sentence should be offset using long dashes?

If you want to get into Princeton and everyone wants to get into Princeton you'd better get excellent grades.

• get into Princeton

• and everyone wants to get into Princeton

• excellent

• you'd better get

If you don't want to use two long dashes to offset important information, what could you use instead?

• periods

• colons

• quotation marks

• commas