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