Misplaced Modifiers

1. Misplaced Modifiers By: Mackenzie Finley

2. Pre-Teaching Activity • What is a modifier? • What is a misplaced modifier? • How many kinds are there? • What are they? • What are some single-worded modifiers that are usually misplaced?

3. Answers • A modifier is a word, phrase or clause that “modifies” another word phrase or clause. • A misplaced modifier is a word, phrase or clause that is improperly separated from the word it modifies/describes. • 3 • Misplaced adjectives, the placement of adverbs, and misplaced phrases and clauses. • Only, almost, just, even, merely, hardly and nearly.

4. Misplaced Modifiers • A misplaced modifier is a word, phraseor clause that is improperly separated from the word it modifies/describes. Wrong: On her way home, Ralea found a gold man’s watch. Right: On her way home, Ralea found a man’s gold watch.

5. Misplaced Adjectives • Misplaced adjectives are incorrectly seperated from the nouns they modify and almost always distort the intended meaning. Wrong: the child ate a cold bowl of cereal for breakfast. Right: The child ate a bowl of cold cereal for breakfast.

6. Placement of adverbs • Placement of adverbs can also change the meaning of the sentence. • just means only John was picked no one else: Just John was picked to host the program. • Just means John was picked now: John was just picked to host the program. • Just means the John hosted only the program: John was picked to host just the program.

7. Misplaced Phrases • Misplaced phrases may cause a sentence to sound awkward and create a meaning that does not make sense. Wrong: The three students talked in the corner doing homework. Right: The three students doing homework talked in the corner.

8. Misplaced clauses • Misplaced clauses may cause a sentence to sound awkward and create a meaning that does not make sense. Wrong: The teacher gave homework to the kids that were really hard. Right: The teacher gave homework that was really hard to the kids.

9. Any Questions????