Dangling or Misplaced Modifiers

What is a modifier in a sentence?

• A word or phrase that adds additional information
• A word that explains an action
• A phrase that changes one's action
• A clause that cannot be its own sentence

Tags

CCSS.L.11-12.3A

CCSS.L.7.1C

What is the modifier in the following sentence?
Brian, the man with the bushy red beard, is Lydia's husband. 

• Brian
• the man with the bushy red beard
• is
• Lydia's husband

Tags

CCSS.L.11-12.3A

CCSS.L.7.1C

What is the dangling modifier?
Before waking up, the lights were flickering in the room. 

• Before waking up
• waking up
• the lights were flickering in the room
• were flickering

Tags

CCSS.L.11-12.3A

CCSS.L.7.1C

What is the dangling modifier?
Rummaging through her giant handbag, the sunglasses escaped detection.

• escaped detection
• the sunglasses
• her giant handbag
• Rummaging through her giant handbag, the sunglasses escaped detection.

Tags

CCSS.RF.3.3B

CCSS.RF.3.3C

CCSS.RF.3.3D

CCSS.RF.4.3A

CCSS.RF.5.3A

What is the misplaced modifier?
Covered in dirt, I gave my dog a bath. 

• a bath
• Covered in dirt
• Covered
• I gave my dog a bath

Tags

CCSS.L.11-12.3A

CCSS.L.7.1C

What is the misplaced modifier?
Once caught, the police officers took the thieves to jail. 

• the police officers
• once caught
• took the thieves
• to jail

Tags

CCSS.L.11-12.3A

CCSS.L.7.1C

Where should the red modifier be placed?
Mary read that a wasp larva spins a cocoon in the encyclopedia.

• After cocoon
• After spins
• After wasp
• After read

Tags

CCSS.L.11-12.3A

CCSS.L.7.1C

Where should the red modifier be placed?
 
The hat belongs to that girl with the feathers.

• After to
• After hat
• After that
• After feathers

Tags

CCSS.L.11-12.3A

CCSS.L.7.1C

Which of the following is correct? Contains NO dangling modifier.

• A. Exhausted by his first day at school, Sam's eyes closed in the middle of his favorite TV show.

• B. Exhausted by his first day at school, Sam closed his eyes in the middle of his favorite TV show.

Tags

CCSS.L.11-12.3A

CCSS.L.7.1C

Which of the following is correct? Misplaced modifier.

• A. We discovered an Italian bakery that just opened a few miles from our house.
• B. We discovered an Italian bakery a few miles from our house that had just opened.

Tags

CCSS.L.11-12.3A

CCSS.L.7.1C