MLA, Misplaced Modifiers and Dangling Modifyers

1. MLA, Misplaced Modifiers and Dangling Modifyers By Hannah Chertock

2. Basic Paper Format • Double spaced • 1 inch borders • 12 pt. font • Indents ½ inch from the left margin • Header with page number at top right of every page: Last name, page number • Upper left hand corner of first page: Name, instructor, date. Double spaced. • https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/

3. Quote 4 lines or more? • Indent the left side of all lines, double space the quotation, and include the in-text citation at the end, eliminate quotations, place period inside quotations. This is the only time you do this!!! At the conclusion of Lord of the Flies,Ralph and the other boys realize the horror of their actions: The tears began to flow and sobs shook him. He gave himself up to them now for the first time on the island; great, shuddering spasms of grief that seemed to wrench his whole body. His voice rose under the black smoke before the burning wreckage of the island; and infected by that emotion, the other little boys began to shake and sob too. (186)

4. Adding/Omitting info inside a text • Use brackets [ ] around the information you add and ellipses enclosed in brackets [...] for information you omit.

5. One Author, Multiple or No Authors • If you’ve included the author’s name in the sentence, you do not need to include it in the citation. • If the source has two authors, include the one that you cited first in the works cited, which should have been the name that comes first alphabetically. • If the source has no authors listed, use an abbreviated form of the title in place of the author’s name. • http://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/quizshow.php?title=mla-citation-practice-quiz&quesnum=6&showNextQ=yes

6. Formatting Works Cited • The first line of each source should be flush against the left side, while the second line (if any) should be indented one-half inch. The entire page should be double spaced. Works Cited "Blueprint Lays Out Clear Path for Climate Action." Environmental Defense Fund. Environmental Defense Fund, 8 May 2007. Web. 24 May 2009. Clinton, Bill. Interview by Andrew C. Revkin. “Clinton on Climate Change.” New York Times. New York Times, May 2007. Web. 25 May 2009.

7. What is a misplaced modifier? • A misplaced modifier is an adjective or adverb that is out of position. These modifiers may be clauses, phrases, or single words. When they are our of place, the sentence will be awkward or confusing. Modifiers should be near the words they modify. • Confusing: This table was made by an old carpenter with carved legs. (the carpenter has carved legs?) • Clear: This table with carved legs was made by an old carpenter.

8. Continued… • Confusing: A man drove past in a Corvette that was completely bald. (a bald car?) • Clear: A man that was completely bald drove past in a Corvette. • Confusing: Hawkins developed cancer shortly after he had married and died. (he developed cancer after he had already died?) • Clear: Shortly after he had married, Hawkins developed cancer and died.

9. Dangling Modifier • Usually an introductory word group that does not refer clearly to some word in the sentence. Placing an appropriate noun or pronoun either in the word group or near it will correct the problem. • Dangling: After buying some groceries, a meal was cooked. (the meal bought the groceries?) • Clear: After buying some groceries, we cooked a meal. • Clear: After we had bought some groceries, we cooked a meal.

10. Continued… • Dangling: When studying at night, a good lamp should be available. (Was the lamp studying?) • Clear: When studying at night, a student should use a good lamp. • Clear: When a student studies at night, he should use a good lamp.

11. Dangling modifiers may also be found at the end of a sentence, though this is less common. • Dangling: Breakfast was served after getting up in the morning. (could breakfast wake up and eat?) • Clear: The newlyweds were served breakfast after getting up in the morning. • Clear: Breakfast was served after the newlyweds got up in the morning.