Common Core Language Progressive Skills

1. Common Core Language Progressive Skills

2. L.7.1cStudents will be able to place phrases and clauses in a sentence, recognizing and correcting misplaced and dangling modifiers.

3. MODIFIERS A modifier is a word or group of words that makes the meaning of another word or word group more specific. EX: A good night’s sleep was what the exhausted hikers needed. [exhausted modifies hikers] EX:Searching for gold in the Americas, early Spanish explorers encountered a hostile environment. [Searching for gold in the Americas modifies explorers]

4. MISPLACED MODIFIERS A word, phrase, or clause that is in the wrong place. It modifies a word that is different from the one it should modify. EX: The weary traveler boarded the train with a long face. BETTER: The weary traveler with a long face boarded the train.

5. MISPLACED MODIFIERS EX: Passing over the stadium, the pitcher saw an airplane. BETTER: The pitcher saw an airplane passing over the stadium. Remember! Phrases should be placed near the words they modify!

6. DANGLING MODIFIERS A word, phrase, or clause that does not clearly and logically modify any word in the sentence. EX: While watching TV, the cable went out. BETTER: While he was watching TV, the cable went out.

7. DANGLING MODIFIERS EX: Riding in the airplane, many towns could be seen far below. BETTER: From the plane, the passenger could see many towns far below.

8. Side note: A sentence may appear to have a dangling modifier when you is the understood subject. In such cases, the modifier is not dangling; it is modifying the understood subject. EXAMPLE: To assemble the bookcase, (you) read the instructions.

9. PRACTICE I 1. Hurrying through the pages, the book was fascinating. 2. Being a novice basketball player, my dribbling needs work. 3. When leaving the train, the station is on the right. 4. Exhausted by the hard work, a long nap sounded good. 5. Driving through the Rockies, the landscape was magnificent.

10. PRACTICE II 6. Rosa Parks refused to move to the back of the bus with quiet dignity. 7. I found a huge boulder taking a shortcut through the woods. 8. On one of his fruit trees, Mr. Tate noticed some caterpillars. 9. Flying over the bridge, Missie spotted a blue heron. 10. We could see corn growing from our car window.

11. PRACTICE I ANSWERS 1. Hurrying through the pages, Mary described the book as fascinating. 2. Being a novice basketball player, I need to work more on my dribbling. 3. When you leave the train, the station is on the right. 4. Exhausted by the hard work, we thought a long nap sounded good. 5. While we were driving through the Rockies, the landscape was magnificent.

12. PRACTICE II ANSWERS 6. With quiet dignity, Rosa Parks refused to move to the back of the bus. 7. Taking a shortcut through the woods, I found a huge boulder. 8. Mr. Tate noticed some caterpillars on one of his fruit trees. 9. Missie spotted a blue heron flying over the bridge. 10. From our car window, we could see corn growing.

13. ACT PRACTICE I The boy dropped his ball off the building which bounced. A. NO CHANGE B. The boy, which bounced, dropped his ball off the building. C. The boy which bounced dropped his ball off the building. D. The boy dropped his ball which bounced off the building.

14. ACT PRACTICE I ANSWER The boy dropped his ball off the building which bounced. A.NO CHANGE B. The boy, which bounced, dropped his ball off the building. C. The boy which bounced dropped his ball off the building. D. The boy dropped his ball which bounced off the building.

15. ACT PRACTICE II Sue looked out over the sea who was scared. A foghorn had sounded when she was on the way home. A. NO CHANGE B. Sue looked out over the sea, who was scared. C. Sue, who was scared, looked out over the sea. D. Sue looked out, who was scared, over the sea.

16. ACT PRACTICE II ANSWER Sue looked out over the sea who was scared. A foghorn had sounded when she was on the way home. A. NO CHANGE B. Sue looked out over the sea, who was scared. C. Sue, who was scared, looked out over the sea. D. Sue looked out, who was scared, over the sea.

17. HOMEWORK OPTION Fix the modifier problems in the following sentences. 1. Having overslept, my exam results were poor. 2. Although excited, sleep came easily. 3. As a new student, it was difficult at first to find my way around. 4. To repair an appliance, experience is helpful. 5. Looking at recent consumer surveys, more Americans are working at home. 6. Pierre saw a Great Dane cycling through the park. 7. Stress has almost caused all of his hair to turn gray. 8. She had a raincoat over her arm with blue lining. 9.The boy ate all the yogurt with red sneakers. 10. Running, the course seemed very long to the athlete.

18. HOMEWORK OPTION ANSWERS 1. Because I had overslept, my exam results were poor. 2. Although excited, the children fell asleep easily. 3. When I was a new student, it was difficult at first to find my way around. 4. If someone is going to repair an appliance, experience is helpful. 5. Looking at recent consumer surveys, I discovered that more Americans are working at home. 6. Cycling through the park, Pierre saw a Great Dane. 7. Stress has caused almost all of his hair to turn gray. 8. Over her arm, she had a raincoat with blue lining. 9. The boy with red sneakers ate all the yogurt. 10. The course seemed very long to the running athlete.

19. EXTENDED LEARNING OPTION (Teacher Discretion) Create bookmarks with a sentence containing a misplaced modifier. Draw a picture under the sentence depicting the misplaced modifier. On the back of the bookmark, write the sentence correctly.