College Entrance Test: Modifiers

A word, phrase, or clause that modifies and gives information of another word in the same sentence. It can be an adjective, adverb, etc.

• Modifier

• Noun

• Adverb

• Interjection

Which part of the sentence is a modifier?

I am going to the Saturn Café for a vegetarian burger.

• Saturn

• Vegetarian

• Burger

• Going

Which part of the sentence is a modifier?

The student carefully proofread her draft.

• Carefully

• Proofread

• Draft

• Student

Which part of the sentence is a modifier?

She studied in the library.

• Studied

• In the library

• Library

• She

Occurs when a modifier is ambiguosly or illogically modifying a word.

• Misplaced modifiers

• Dangling modifiers

What type of error is this?

Dolger discovered an ancient Mayan civilization using astronavigation.

• Misplaced modifiers

• Dangling modifiers

Answer explanation

In this sentence, does the Mayan civilization uses astronavigation? Or does Dolger used astronavigation?

To correct this; you can say, "Using astronavigation, Dolger discovered an ancient Mayan civilization," or "Dolger discovered an ancient Mayan civilization that used astronavigation."

What type of error is this?

I ate a cereal with chocolate milk in my pajamas.

• Misplaced modifiers

• Dangling modifiers

Answer explanation

Did she ate cereal with chocolate milk? Or is there a chocolate milk in her pajamas?

To correct this, you can change it to " In my pajamas, I ate cereal with chocolate milk."

Note: somethimes, you need to replace , add prepositions or add words in correcting grammars linking to modifiers.

What type of error is this?

The teacher caught the student cheating with the principal on a test.

• Misplaced modifiers

• Dangling modifiers

Answer explanation

Did the teacher with the principal caught the student cheating? Or did the teacher caught the principal and the the student cheating?

To correct this; you can change it to, "With the principal, the teacher caught the student cheating."

What kind of error is this?

Speaking slowly helps the speaker relax.

• Misplaced modifier

• Dangling modifier

Answer explanation

Does "speaking" slowly helps the speaker to relax? Or, does "speaking slowly" helps the speaker to relax?

To correct this; you can change it to, "The speaker relaxes when he speakes slowly."

What kind of error is this?

Suddenly alone, the room felt cold and lonely to Liezel.

• Misplaced modifier

• Dangling modifier

Answer explanation

Is the room lonely? Or, is Liezel lonely?

To correct this; you can change it to, "Suddenly alone, Liezel felt cold and lonely."

Note: In correcting misplaced modifiers, you can place the modifier next to the word that should be modified.