Modifiers - Learning Check

Part One: Using your notes 1. A dangling modifier is:

• a word or phrase that modifies a word not clearly stated in the sentence.

• a grammatical error that occurs when a sentence is missing a subject.

• a type of sentence fragment that lacks a main verb.

• a punctuation mark used to indicate possession.

A misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that is improperly separated from the word it modifies. What is a misplaced modifier?

• A word, phrase, or clause that is properly placed next to the word it modifies.

• A word, phrase, or clause that is improperly separated from the word it modifies.

• A word, phrase, or clause that is used to modify a sentence correctly.

• A word, phrase, or clause that is not used in a sentence.

Strolling hand in hand to the farm, the pigs broke out of the fenced-in field and headed towards us.

• Misplaced

• Dangling

The difference between misplaced and dangling modifiers:

• Misplaced modifiers are missing a subject/target word which is being described; dangling modifiers are too far from the subject they describe.

• Dangling modifiers are missing the subject/target they are describing while misplaced modifiers are too far from the subject/target they describe.

Walking down the hall, the bouquet on the table looked beautiful.

• Misplaced

• Dangling

Complete this sentence: Misplaced modifiers______________________.

• Do not clearly associate with the word they should modify.

• Do not have a subject/target word to modify in a sentence.

• Need to be moved closer to the subject/target word they describe.

• All choices listed

Select the best choice below to correct the following sentence: The child playing on the jungle gym with fuzzy orange hair is my nephew.

• Delete “the child playing”

• Add the adjective green before the words “jungle gym”

• Move “with fuzzy orange hair” to after the word child.

• No changes are necessary

The woman walked the dog IN THE BLUE DRESS AND HIGH HEELS.

• Misplaced

• Dangling

What type of modifier issue do you see in this sentence? Sitting in the bleachers, the outfielder caught the ball right in front of us.

• This sentence has a misplaced modifier because “sitting in the bleachers” is too far from the subject it modifies.

• This sentence has a dangling modifier because it is not clear who is sitting in the bleachers.

We saw a gaggle of geese ON THE WAY TO OUR HOTEL in Paris.

• Misplaced

• Dangling