Such words should be placed immediately before the word they modify. Determine whether the sentences below contain misplaced or dangling modifiers. Misplaced and dangling modifiers according to laurie kirszner and stephen mandell in the sixth edition of writing first, a modifier is a word or word group that identifies or describes another word or word group in a sentence. It also includes practice in correcting sentences that have misplaced and dangling modifiers. Modifiers are commonly used in academic writing, but can lead to confusion when. Dangling and misplaced modifiers dangling modifiers a dangling modifier is a phrase or clause that does not logically modify any word in the sentence in which it appears. Because of this separation, the meaning of the sentence is often awkward, ridiculous, illogical, or confusing. The powerpoint provides several examples for mastery and later for students to identify. Misplaced and dangling modifiers watch, learn, and practice.
Recognize and correct the following kinds of misplacement. In fact, you can improve your writing quite a bit by paying attention to basic problems like misplaced modifiers and dangling modifiers. Misplaced modifiers are clauses which are improperly placed in a sentence and confuse the sentences meaning. Misplaced and dangling modifiers towson university. Each of the following sentences are either correct or incorrect. Avoiding misplaced modifiers is essential to good grammar and concise writing. The english teacher looking for tools, the student looking for some extra help, or the new english speaker hoping to master the language will find what he or she is looking for here. Because of their dangling modifiers, these sentences wrongly imply that the hill rollerbladed frantically, that p. The supplemental documents will provide you with the practice pages so that students can work along with the video. How to fix sentences that have dangling or misplaced modifiers.
Depending on when you went to school, you may be familiar with these grammar rules under a different name. Jan 26, 2012 misplaced modifiers, squinting modifiers, and dangling grammar by english spoken here video 2016 duration. In a clear, logical sentence, you will find most modifiers right next to the words they describe. Unlike a misplaced modifier, a dangling modifier cannot be corrected by simply moving it. View each sentence and see if you think there is a problem with either a dangling modifier or a misplaced modifer you may use your notes to help. All modifiers, words that add clarify, describe, or add detail to other words in a sentence. As michael scrubbed the tile grout with bleach and an old toothbrush, the mildew stains began to fade. Label whether the sentence is a misplaced modifier m, a dangling modifier d or correct. So now we have the critter following the modifier that its supposed to be modified by. Dangling modifiers cause the sentence to lack coherence.
Misplaced anddangling modifiers 1 misplaced and dangling modifiers a misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that is improperly separated from the word or clause it modifies or describes. Misplaced modifiers a misplaced modifier is a modifying word, phrase, or clause that does not point clearly and directly to what it is supposed to modify. A modifying clause is a dependent clause that opens a sentence and provides descriptive information about the subject of the subsequent independent clause. Scrubbing the tile grout with bleach and an old toothbrush, a participle phrase, has no target in the sentence. As the name itself indicates a modifier is a word used to modify another word. A modifier a word or phrase that qualifies the meaning of another element in a sentence. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you succeed. Worksheet 1 explains the concept of dangling and misplaced modifiers, including suggestions for correcting them. The waitress served gilbert a plate of gray meatloaf sauced with lumpy gravy. Refer to discovery, 324327, for additional practice. When modifiers adjectives and adverbs are out of place, too far away from the word they modify, the sentence will be awkward or confusing. A dangling modifier is a phrase or clause that does not logically modify any word in the sentence in.
Misplacedanddanglingmodifiers 1 misplaced and dangling modifiers a misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that is improperly separated from the word or clause it modifies or describes. Quia practice quiz dangling and misplaced modifiers. Modifiers can include the present participle of a verb ing or the past participle of a verb ed. In the following sentences, identify and correct the misplaced and dangling modifiers. What a modifier is and how it functions in a sentence. Dangling and misplaced modifiers tutorial sophia learning. Check your answers with the interactive version of the exercise. Unlike many other students, the financial aid office did not approve his application. This learning packet covers modifiers which are also called adjective phrases. Although most commonly found at the beginning of the sentence, the dangling modifier may be. Following the powerpoint, groups will use the printable worksheets to determine which sentences contain misplaced dangling modifiers.
Correcting misplaced and dangling modifiers pdf documents. Misleading or illogical constructions like these are called dangling modifiers. If one wishes to write effectively, practice is necessary. Adding michael to the sentence lets the reader know who is. Rewrite the following sentences to repair any dangling modifiers. Modifiers are words and phrases that basically modify a word or sentence. When you are finished, click on the check my work button at the bottom of the page to view the correct answers. We, coming home from the market, saw a terrible accident.
Using what they learn, students will create misplaced modifier cartoons. Then they will exchange cartoons with a partner, and identify the intended and unintended meanings. Dangling modifiers a dangling modifier is a modifier that lacks a word or group of words to modify. A misplaced modifier occurs when the modifier is located too far away from the word it modifies and the sentence does not make sense. Were here to help in the event of a school closure. Then someone decided that the dangling business just sounded silly, so now grammarians call them misplaced modifiers. Middle schoolers identify modifiers in sentences and label them as either dangling or misplaced. When there is nothing that the word, phrase, or clause can modify, the modifier is said to dangle. They qualify the noun or verb, describe it, or change its meaning. As a member, youll also get unlimited access to over 79,000 lessons in math, english, science, history, and more. Most modifiers are either adjectival these modify nouns or adverbial these modify verbs, adjectives and adverbs. Modifiers are words or phrases that, well, modify a noun or verb. From real good grammar, too by mamie webb hixon created by april turner.
Dangling and misplaced modifiers dangling modifiers are words or phrases that do not have a clear term to modify in a sentence. Worksheets relating to misplaced and dangling modifiers. In general, you should place singleword modifiers near the word or words they modify, especially when a reader might think that they modify something different in the sentence. Oct 24, 2016 a misplaced modifier happens to modify something that you did not intend to modify, oftenor hopefullywith humorous consequences. Now click on the link below to complete exercise 1. Unlike many other students, jim didnt have any problems with his teachers. Although misplaced or dangling modifiers are common in writing, they are incorrect and should be avoided because they cause confusion and alter the meaning. Then they were called dangling modifiers for a while. Misplaced modifiers are modifiers that modify something you didnt intend them to modify.
For example, in walking to college on a subzero morning, my left ear became frozen, the underlined phrase modifies my left ear. A dangling modifier is an introductory word groupparticiple, gerund, infinitive, or elliptical clausethat does not refer logically to the noun or pronoun that follows it. Grammargrounds grammar education is a free, comprehensive site with instruction, videos, quizzes, and more. On july 20, 1969, american astronauts neil armstrong and edwin buzz aldrin landed on the moon, watched by nearly a fifth of the worlds population. Think you understand dangling and misplaced modifiers. Theyre words or phrases that describe another word or phrase, and when theyre dangling theyre like in the wrong place, theyre in front of the wrong.
A dangling modifier a word, phrase, or clause that describes or modifies something that has been left out of the sentence. Dangling and misplaced modifiers linkedin slideshare. When a modifier has no word to describe, it is dangling. A modifier should come immediately before the word or phrase it modifies. Rewrite these sentences to correct problem with misplaced and dangling modifiers. Having arrived late for practice, a written excuse was. A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that clarifies or describes another word, phrase, or clause. In the exercise that follows, you will need to determine whether or not sentences contain misplaced or dangling modifiers. Sometimes writers use modifiers incorrectly, leading to strange and unintentionally humorous sentences. To fix the problem, you should revise the sentence like this. Misplaced modifiers english practice learn and practice. This lesson plan helps students understand misplaced modifiers and fix them. Misplaced and dangling modifiers university of lynchburg. The most common type of misplaced modifier question on the act english test involves a modifying phrase.
The english teacher looking for tools, the student looking for some extra help, or the new english speaker hoping to master the language will find what he or she is. Recognize the following types of dangling modifiers and their corrections. Parallel structure our mission is to provide a free, worldclass. A misplaced modifier happens to modify something that you did not intend to modify, oftenor hopefullywith humorous consequences. Grammar is a tough subject for most praxis core test takers.
Modifiers are just what they sound likewords or phrases that modify something else. Paraphrased for the student learning center by lowrie osborne, october 2007 from. Voiceover yeah so like, that is dangling modifiers, and how you get rid of them. A dangling participle has no noun in the sentence to which the participle would logically attach. At the end of the video, there is a super fun activity for your students to complete. Practice underline the misplaced word or words in each sentence.
How to identify misplaced modifiers for the praxis core. Advanced choose whether each of the following sentences is correct, or whether it has a dangling modifier. Our mission is to provide a free, worldclass education to anyone, anywhere. Dangling and misplaced participles often give rise to absurdly humorous scenarios. Often, they can be found at the beginning of sentences, though they can also appear at a sentences end. Misplaced modifiers may be single words, phrases, or clauses. Dangling modifiers other times we write descriptive phrases that point to or modify words that are not clearly stated in our sentences, making our sentences illogical. Slipping on the wet sidewalk, the keys fell from amaurys pocket. To make sure your modifiers give your readers the right message, read your sentences aloud or share them with someone you trust. The best misplaced and dangling modifiers of all time misplaced and dangling modifiers. For example, the word only is a modifier thats easy to misplace. Be careful when using modifiers, especially modifying phrases and clauses. In this lesson plan, adaptable for grades 312, students explore brainpop features and resources to learn about misplaced modifiers, including dangling and squinting modifiers.
Other singleword modifiers to watch out for include only, even, hardly, nearly, and often. Adding michael to the sentence lets the reader know who is scrubbing the tile grout. Sighing with sadness, the expensive shoes were returned to the salesman. A dangling modifier fails to refer logically to any word in the sentence. A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that modifies a word not clearly stated in the. According to laurie kirszner and stephen mandell in the sixth edition of writing first, a modifier is a word or word group that identifies or describes another word or word group in a sentence. This is a practice quiz over problems with modifiers. Misplaced modifiers, squinting modifiers, and dangling grammar by english spoken here video 2016 duration. Refer to discovery, 320324, for additional practice. The two common types of modifier errors are called misplaced modifiers and dangling. Once upon a time, misplaced modifiers were called dangling participles. The following sentences contain misplaced modifiers.
Avoid rephrased sentences, focus on the misplacement of the modifiers and the dangling modifiers. Use the reference sheet and activity to show middle schoolers how to edit confusing sentences with misplaced modifiers. Dangling modifiers a dangling modifier is a phrase or clause that either modifies no word in the sentence or refers to the wrong word. This correcting misplaced and dangling modifiers pdf documents worksheet is suitable for 7th grade. Learn how to correct misplaced and dangling modifiers. Unlike a misplaced modifier, a dangling modifier cannot be corrected by simply moving it to a different place in a sentence. Jan 11, 2018 modifiers are words and phrases that basically modify a word or sentence. A dangling modifier has no concrete or logical referent in the sentence to which it can attach itself and therefore is said to dangle it has nothing to modify. Misplaced and dangling modifiers watch, learn, and. Modifiers are words, phrases, or clauses that add detail or description to part of a sentence. In other words, they seem to give a better understanding of a word or sentence. This sentence reads as if the keys slipped on the wet sidewalk. Then rewrite the sentence, placing related words together and thereby making the meaning clear. Click the link below to download the free pdf worksheet.
Watched by nearly a fifth of the worlds population, american astronauts neil armstrong and edwin buzz aldrin landed on the moon on july 20, 1969. Misplaced modifiers can alter the meaning of a sentence, and take away from a writers intended message. The supplemental documents will provide you with the practice pages so. A modifier should come close to the word it modifies.
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