Misplaced Modifiers

Open Ended

What do you think a "modifier" is in grammar?

Multiple Choice

Why is it important to place modifiers correctly in your writing?

• To make your writing clearer and more effective

• To make your writing longer

• To use more complex vocabulary

• To impress your readers with grammar terms

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT a type of modifier?

• Adjective

• Adverb

• Phrase

• Conjunction

Open Ended

Explain why the placement of adverbs like 'almost' or 'only' is important in a sentence.

Fill in the Blanks

Fill in the blank: Prepositional phrases should refer clearly to the words they

.

Open Ended

How can you ensure your subject is clear when using participial phrases?

Multiple Select

Select all the sentences that contain a misplaced modifier.

• He almost received as much applause as the winner.

• I was told by my guidance counselor that I had received a scholarship.

• While recuperating from pneumonia, the nursing staff was warm and friendly.

• By planting trees, new forests were created.

Multiple Choice

Which revision correctly clarifies the subject in the sentence: 'To be eligible to play baseball, a C average must be maintained'?

• To be eligible to play baseball, a student must maintain a C average.

• To be eligible to play baseball, a C average must be maintained by the coach.

• To be eligible to play baseball, the team must maintain a C average.

• To be eligible to play baseball, maintaining a C average is important.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following sentences contains a dangling elliptical clause?

• Because she was a talented writer, her book sold a record number of copies.

• A talented writer, her book sold a record number of copies.

• Her book sold a record number of copies because she was a talented writer.

• Because her book sold a record number of copies, she was a talented writer.

Open Ended

How can squinting modifiers create ambiguity in a sentence? Provide an example to illustrate your answer.

Fill in the Blanks

In the sentence 'She in a fit of anger left the stage', the improved version is 'In a fit of anger, she left the stage'. The word that was awkwardly separated from its subject is

.

Open Ended

After learning about misplaced modifiers, what questions do you still have or what would you like to know more about this topic?

Open Ended

What is a modifier in grammar, and why is it important to place modifiers correctly in a sentence?

Multiple Choice

Identify the misplaced modifier in this sentence: "With a heavy heart, the news was delivered by the officer."

• With a heavy heart

• the news

• was delivered

• by the officer

Multiple Choice

Rewrite the sentence to correct the modifier: "Running quickly, the finish line seemed to approach."

• Running quickly, he saw the finish line seemed to approach.

• The finish line seemed to approach as he was running quickly.

• He seemed to approach the finish line running quickly.

• The finish line, running quickly, seemed to approach.

Multiple Choice

Correct the misplaced modifier in this sentence: "The student read the book in the library that was overdue."

• The student read the overdue book in the library.

• In the library, the student read the book that was overdue.

• The student in the library read the book that was overdue.

• The overdue book was read in the library by the student.