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Year 6

Using hyphens to create adjectives

I can identify when to use a hyphen to create adjectives.

New
New
Year 6

Using hyphens to create adjectives

I can identify when to use a hyphen to create adjectives.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. A hyphen can be used to join a modifier to an adjective to make one adjective, e.g. well-dressed.
  2. A hyphen can be used to join two or more words that are functioning as one adjective.
  3. How to spell the curriculum words: familiar and opportunity.

Keywords

  • Hyphen - a punctuation mark that can join two words to make one compound adjective

  • Compound adjective - an adjective formed of two hyphenated words

  • Modifier - a word or phrase that provides additional information or describes an adjective or adverb

Common misconception

Pupils might assume any combination of words can create a compound adjective.

Look at some non-examples such as 'blood-paced' and 'fast-splattered' to teach them that not every combination makes a compound adjective.

If possible, find examples of hyphenated words in your class novel or current reading books so that children can see them in a familiar context and understand how they can aid descriptions.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match the prefixes to the root words.
Correct Answer:pre-,existing

existing

Correct Answer:co-,ordinate

ordinate

Correct Answer:self-,involved

involved

Correct Answer:ex-,husband

husband

Q2.
When might a hyphen be used?
Correct answer: in prefixes where we would otherwise have a vowel next to another vowel
when we join any prefix to a root word
Correct answer: to avoid confusion in meaning
in all prefixes that end in a consonant
Q3.
Choose the correct word to fill the gap in this sentence: You must __________ the button to restart the machine.
repress
Correct answer: re-press
recoil
re-coil
Q4.
Choose the correct word to fill the gap in this sentence: The smell of flesh made him __________ as he entered the room.
repress
re-press
Correct answer: recoil
re-coil
Q5.
Select the words where a hyphen could be used to separate two vowels next to each other.
selfbelief
Correct answer: preexisting
nonstop
Correct answer: reevaluate
Q6.
Correct the spelling of the word in bold in this sentence: Raise your hand rather than intrupt me whilst I am speaking.
Correct Answer: interrupt

6 Questions

Q1.
Identify the statements about hyphens which are correct.
Hyphens can be used to join suffixes to root words.
Correct answer: Hyphens can be used to join prefixes to root words.
Hyphens can be used in dates.
Correct answer: Hyphens can be used in numbers.
Correct answer: Hyphens can be used to create compound adjectives.
Q2.
Identify the compound adjectives.
excellent
Correct answer: high-quality
familiar
Correct answer: well-known
Q3.
Match the pairs of words that would make a compound adjective using a hyphen.
Correct Answer:wind,swept

swept

Correct Answer:mud,covered

covered

Correct Answer:fast,paced

paced

Correct Answer:far,reaching

reaching

Q4.
Which of these phrases requires a hyphen to create a compound adjective?
a short sharp shock
Correct answer: a bitter sweet moment
Correct answer: a fast flowing river
a long narrow path
Q5.
Which of these sentences makes clear that the shark is capable of eating the man?
The man eating shark approached the shore.
As I surfed on the waves, I kept an eye peeled for the man eating shark.
Correct answer: The lifeguard scanned the area, searching for any sign of a man-eating shark.
Q6.
Correct the spelling of the word in bold in this sentence. I had never seen his face before but his voice sounded immediately famillier.
Correct Answer: familiar

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