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Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers. What is a misplaced modifier?. Modifiers are words or word groups that describe other words in a sentence. In the following sentence, the words in bold modify woman . The woman who is sitting by the door is my sister.

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Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

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  1. Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

  2. What is a misplaced modifier? • Modifiers are words or word groups that describe other words in a sentence. In the following sentence, the words in bold modify woman. The woman who is sitting by the door is my sister. • A misplaced modifier, because it is not correctly placed, describes the wrong word or words: INCORRECT Marcy saw the neighbor’s dog drinking a cocktail. CORRECT Drinking a cocktail, Marcy saw the neighbor’s dog.

  3. Four types of modifiers are often misplaced. (See your textbook for more specific details.) • Modifiers such as only, almost, hardly, nearly, and just. • Modifiers that start with –ing verbs, like playing, dancing, driving, singing. • Modifiers that are prepositional phrases (phrases that begin with prepositions like in, on, at, around). • Modifying word groups that start with who, whose, that, or which.

  4. What is a dangling modifier? • A dangling modifier “dangles” because the word or words it is supposed to describe are not in the sentence. INCORRECT Jogging in the park, a dog bit me. [The dog wasn’t jogging in the park; the actual jogger is missing from the sentence.] CORRECT Jogging in the park, I got bitten by a dog. OR While I was jogging in the park, a dog bit me.

  5. 1.Choose the sentence that has no error. A) The convict saw a large green cricket, limping from the prison. B) The convict saw a large green cricket limping from the prison. C) Limping from the prison, the convict saw a large green cricket. D) none of the above

  6. 1.Choose the sentence that has no error. ANSWER: A) The convict saw a large green cricket, limping from the prison. B) The convict saw a large green cricket limping from the prison. C) Limping from the prison, the convict saw a large green cricket. D) none of the above

  7. 2. Choose the sentence that has no error. A) The only recipe calls for one cup of sugar. B) Only the recipe calls for one cup of sugar. C) The recipe calls for only one cup of sugar. D) none of the above

  8. 2. Choose the sentence that has no error. ANSWER: A) The only recipe calls for one cup of sugar. B) Only the recipe calls for one cup of sugar. C) The recipe calls for only one cup of sugar. D) none of the above

  9. 3. Choose the sentence that has no error. A) Walking into the classroom, laughter burst from the students. B) As the man in the ape suit walked into the classroom, laughter burst from the students. C) Laughter burst from the students, walking into the classroom. D) none of the above

  10. 3. Choose the sentence that has no error. ANSWER: A) Walking into the classroom, laughter burst from the students. B) As the man in the ape suit walked into the classroom, laughter burst from the students. C) Laughter burst from the students, walking into the classroom. D) none of the above

  11. 4. Choose the sentence that has no error. A) In my kitchen, I saw your ex-husband on the TV watching the news. B) While watching TV in my kitchen, I saw on the news your ex-husband. C) While watching TV in my kitchen, I saw your ex-husband on the news. D) none of the above

  12. 4. Choose the sentence that has no error. ANSWER: A) In my kitchen, I saw your ex-husband on the TV watching the news. B) While watching TV in my kitchen, I saw on the news your ex-husband. C) While watching TV in my kitchen, I saw your ex-husband on the news. D) none of the above

  13. 5. Choose the sentence that has no error. A) Swimming at the beach, the water became too rough and cold. B) While we were swimming at the beach, the water became too rough and cold. C) At the beach swimming, the water became too rough and cold. D) none of the above

  14. 5. Choose the sentence that has no error. ANSWER: A) Swimming at the beach, the water became too rough and cold. B) While we were swimming at the beach, the water became too rough and cold. C) At the beach swimming, the water became too rough and cold. D) none of the above

  15. 6. Choose the sentence that has no error. A) Searching under the seat cushions, Cal found his car keys. B) Cal found his car keys searching under the seat cushions. C) Under the seat cushions, Cal found his car keys searching. D) none of the above

  16. 6. Choose the sentence that has no error. ANSWER: A) Searching under the seat cushions, Cal found his car keys. B) Cal found his car keys searching under the seat cushions. C) Under the seat cushions, Cal found his car keys searching. D) none of the above

  17. 7. Choose the sentence that has no error. A) Looking to earn extra money, second jobs are being taken by some people. B) Earning extra money, second jobs are being taken by some people looking. C) Second jobs are being taken by some people earning extra money. D) none of the above

  18. 7. Choose the sentence that has no error. ANSWER: A) Looking to earn extra money, second jobs are being taken by some people. B) Earning extra money, second jobs are being taken by some people looking. C) Second jobs are being taken by some people earning extra money. D) none of the above; the answer should be Looking to earn extra money, some people take second jobs.

  19. 8. Choose the sentence that has no error. A) I think I saw a comet in the sky jogging last night. B) Jogging last night, I think I saw a comet in the sky. C) In the sky, I think I saw a comet jogging last night. D) none of the above

  20. 8. Choose the sentence that has no error. ANSWER: A) I think I saw a comet in the sky jogging last night. B) Jogging last night, I think I saw a comet in the sky. C) In the sky, I think I saw a comet jogging last night. D) none of the above

  21. 9. Choose the sentence that has no error. A) Concerned about the dangerous weather, we had to cancel the game. B) Concerned about the dangerous weather, the game had to be canceled. C) The game had to be canceled, concerned about the dangerous weather. D) none of the above

  22. 9. Choose the sentence that has no error. ANSWER: A) Concerned about the dangerous weather, we had to cancel the game. B) Concerned about the dangerous weather, the game had to be canceled. C) The game had to be canceled, concerned about the dangerous weather. D) none of the above

  23. 10. Choose the sentence that has no error. A) Making the best of a bad situation, the power outage was a lot of fun. B) The power outage was a lot of fun, making the best of a bad situation. C) Making the best of a bad situation, we had a lot of fun during the power outage. D) none of the above

  24. 10. Choose the sentence that has no error. ANSWER: A) Making the best of a bad situation, the power outage was a lot of fun. B) The power outage was a lot of fun, making the best of a bad situation. C) Making the best of a bad situation, we had a lot of fun during the power outage. D) none of the above

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