Misplaced Modifiers

Front

What is a misplaced modifier?

Back

A misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that is improperly separated from the word it modifies, leading to confusion or ambiguity in a sentence.

Front

Identify the correct sentence: 'Gasping after the 5-mile run in the summer sun, Donovan quenched his thirst with a bottle of cold water.' or 'Gasping after the 5-mile run in the summer sun, the bottle of cold water quenched Donovan's thirst.'

Back

The correct sentence is: 'Gasping after the 5-mile run in the summer sun, Donovan quenched his thirst with a bottle of cold water.'

Front

What is the effect of a misplaced modifier on sentence clarity?

Back

A misplaced modifier can create confusion or a humorous effect, making the sentence unclear or misleading.

Front

Correct or incorrect? 'While tuning the radio, the car swerved dangerously toward a telephone pole.'

Back

Incorrect. The sentence suggests that the car was tuning the radio.

Front

What is the misplaced modifier in the sentence: 'I'm returning the shirt to the store that is too small.'?

Back

The misplaced modifier is 'that is too small', which incorrectly modifies 'the store' instead of 'the shirt'.

Front

Correct or incorrect? 'The child on the bike, the blonde one, is my son.'

Back

Incorrect. The modifier 'the blonde one' is misplaced and creates ambiguity.

Front

Correct or incorrect? 'Colin, a sensitive boy, trembled at the sound of thunder.'

Back

Correct. The modifier is correctly placed and clarifies who Colin is.

Front

What is an example of a clear sentence without misplaced modifiers?

Back

'The dog barked loudly at the mailman.' This sentence clearly indicates who is barking.

Front

How can you fix a misplaced modifier?

Back

To fix a misplaced modifier, rearrange the sentence so that the modifier is placed next to the word it is meant to modify.

Front

What is the role of modifiers in a sentence?

Back

Modifiers provide additional information about a noun or verb, enhancing the meaning of the sentence.