Compound Words Exercise (755)
In each sentence, a compound word or phrase is incorrectly open, closed, or hyphenated. Identify the incorrect word or phrase and style it correctly.
Answers and Explanations
1.
Original: Her heart-breaking story is downright difficult to listen to.
Correct : Her heartbreaking story is downright difficult to listen to.
"Heartbreaking" is a closed compound.
2.
Original: He was a latchkey child in an old fashioned town where mothers greet their children when they came home after school.
Correct : He was a latchkey child in an old-fashioned town where mothers greet their children when they came home after school.
"Old-fashioned" is hyphenated.
3.
Original: The wornout woman suffered from postpartum depression.
Correct : The worn-out woman suffered from postpartum depression.
"Worn-out" is hyphenated.
4.
Original: The plainclothes officers came up empty handed.
Correct : The plainclothes officers came up empty-handed.
"Empty-handed" is hyphenated.
5.
Original: The pre-emptive strike was a straightforward affair.
Correct : The preemptive strike was a straightforward affair.
"Preemptive" is a closed compound.
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