Next American Realism: Mastery Test 3 Select the correct answer. Which sentence is correctly hyphenated? A. She decided to take the long-winding road. B. A tall-dark man approached the entrance with determination. C. The twentieth-century had the most tomadoes on record. D. The hikers spotted a red-talled pheasant.
Real Tutor Solution
Answer
Solution
Reviewed and approved by the UpStudy tutoring team
Explain 
Simplify this solution Mind Expander
Choosing the right hyphenation can be tricky! When combining two or more words to modify a noun that follows them, like in "tall-dark man," it's important to know when to hyphenate. In this example, "tall-dark" should actually be written as "tall dark" without a hyphen because "tall" and "dark" don't form a single adjective describing the man—each stands independently. For some fun historical context, hyphens have been used in the English language since the medieval period but became more standardized in the 18th century. They help prevent misreading and clarify meaning, especially in compound modifiers. Over time, the rules have evolved, leading to debates on word combinations. So, every time you hyphenate, you’re part of a living tradition!
