Misplaced Modifiers

Which sentence avoids misplaced modifiers?

• Drooling in anticipation of the treat, Gizmo waited for Sylvia to reward him with a dog cookie. 
• Drooling in anticipation of the treat, Sylvia rewarded Gizmo with a dog cookie. 
• Drooling in anticipation of the treat, a dog cookie was given to Gizmo. 

Which sentence correctly avoids misplaced modifiers?

• Digging fingernails into his palms, Jerry's speech caused sweatiness and nervousness.
• Digging fingernails into his palms, sweatiness and nervousness about the speech were what Jerry experienced.
• Digging fingernails into his palms, Jerry got sweaty and nervous during the speech.

Which sentence correctly avoids misplaced modifiers?

• Gasping after the five-mile run in the summer sun, the bottle of cool water quenched Donovan's thirst.
• Gasping after the five-mile run in the summer sun, Donovan quenched his thirst with a bottle of cool water.
• Gasping after the five-mile run in the summer sun, Donovan's thirst was quenched with a bottle of cool water.

Which sentence correctly avoids misplaced modifiers?

• Seated around the dining room table, the Thanksgiving turkey made everyone's mouth water.
• Seated around the dining room table, everyone salivated at the sight of the Thanksgiving turkey.
• Seated around the dining room table, the sight of the Thanksgiving turkey made everyone salivate.

Which sentence correctly avoids misplaced modifiers?

• Sipping slowly at the diner counter, the hot soup was enjoyed by Timothy.
• Sipping slowly, the diner counter was where Timothy enjoyed the hot soup.
• Sipping slowly, Timothy enjoyed the hot soup at the diner counter.

Which sentence correctly avoids misplaced modifiers?

• Tucked into a secret purse pocket, Larissa used her last five-dollar bill to buy a slice of pepperoni pizza and large iced tea.
• To buy a slice of pepperoni pizza and large iced tea, Larissa used her last five-dollar bill, which was tucked into a secret purse pocket.
• Tucked into a secret purse pocket, a slice of pepperoni pizza and large iced tea were purchased with Larissa's last five-dollar bill.

Which sentence correctly avoids misplaced modifiers?

• Eric broke the lamp while he was bouncing on the bed.
• Bouncing on the bed, the lamp was broken by Eric.
• Breaking the lamp, Eric's bed should not have been bounced on.

Which sentence correctly avoids misplaced modifiers?

• The repairman fixed the kitchen faucet, which leaked in a wasteful manner.
• Leaking in a wasteful manner, we called a repairman to fix the kitchen faucet.
• Leaking wastefully, the repairman arrived to fix the kitchen faucet.

Which sentence correctly avoids misplaced modifiers?

• Whining in a pitiful manner, Rodney waited for a commercial break to let the dog in from the rain.
• During a commercial break, Rodney let the dog in from the rain, which was whining in a pitiful manner.
• During a commercial break, Rodney let in the dog, who had been whining pitifully out in the rain.

Which sentence correctly avoids misplaced modifiers?

• Abdullah gasped as the badly wrapped burrito squirted its contents onto his shirt, which was spicy hot and full of lettuce.
• The badly wrapped burrito squirted its contents onto Abdullah's shirt, which was spicy hot and full of lettuce.
• The badly wrapped burrito, which was spicy hot and full of lettuce, squirted its contents onto Abdullah's shirt.