DAILY GRAMMAR (DG) 02-09-2018

DAILY GRAMMAR (DG) 02-09-2018

1a. The arrested cultist is a 21 year old student. (No)

The arrested cultist is a 21-year-old student. (Yes)

1b. We need a mixed group of 100, 200 and 300 level students to produce the play. (No)

We need a mixed group of 100-, 200- and 300-level students to produce the play. (Yes)

(Hyphens should be used between words forming a compound adjective before the modified noun. Then, hyphens should be used after a series of hyphenated adjectives that modify the same noun when the noun occurs after the last adjective only.)

2a. Buhari’s reputation, well-deserved and globally-acclaimed, rests on his anti corruption stance. (No)

Buhari’s reputation, well deserved and globally acclaimed, rests on his anti-corruption stance. (Yes)

2b. Penguins are said to have highly-developed intelligence. (No)

Penguins are said to have highly developed intelligence. (Yes)

(When a compound adjective comes after a noun, it is not usually hyphenated. Then, when an adverb that ends in the suffix “ly” modifies an adjective, no hyphen is required.)

3a. Citizens of West-African countries are supposed to move freely within the region. (No)

Citizens of West African countries are supposed to move freely within the region. (Yes)

3b. English belongs to the Indo European family of languages. (No)

English belongs to the Indo-European family of languages. (Yes)

(Proper names used as adjectives are not joined by a hyphen. Only forms that are adjectival in nature, like Afro-Caribbean, are hyphenated.)

Did You Know?

“J” is the only letter that does not appear on the periodic table. Invented in 1524 by an Italian, it was also the last letter to be added to the alphabet.

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