Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

What is a misplaced modifier?

• Words, phrases or clauses that are separated from the words they describe.

• Modifiers that are not included in the sentence.

• Words that modify nouns.

• Words that modify verbs.

Tags

CCSS.L.11-12.3A

CCSS.L.7.1C

What is a dangling modifier?

• Words, phrases or clauses that are separated from the word they describe.

• The final word of a prepositional phrase.

• Modifiers that describe words not in the sentence.

Tags

CCSS.L.11-12.3A

CCSS.L.7.1C

Which sentence contains a misplaced modifier?

• The cat sat on the mat happily purring.

• Happily purring, the cat sat on the mat.

• The cat happily sat on the mat, purring.

Tags

CCSS.L.11-12.3A

CCSS.L.7.1C

Which sentence contains a dangling modifier?

• While walking to the store, I lost my hat.

• While walking to the store, my hat blew off.

• I lost my hat while walking to the store.

Tags

CCSS.L.11-12.3A

CCSS.L.7.1C

Which of the following is a characteristic of a misplaced modifier? (Select all that apply.)

• It is separated from the word it describes.

• It does not clearly modify anything in the sentence.

• It changes the meaning of the sentence in an unintended way.

Tags

CCSS.L.11-12.3A

CCSS.L.7.1C

Which of the following sentences has a misplaced modifier?

• Flying through the air, the trapeze artist amazed the audience.
  

• Flying through the air, the audience gasped at the trapeze artist.

• The trapeze artist amazed the audience by flying through the air.

Tags

CCSS.L.11-12.3A

CCSS.L.7.1C

Which is the best way to correct this sentence?

Walking into the room, the smell of pizza made my mouth water.

• As I walked into the room, the smell of pizza made my mouth water.

• Walking into the room, I smelled the pizza and my mouth watered.

• The smell of pizza made my mouth water while walking into the room.

Tags

CCSS.L.11-12.3A

CCSS.L.7.1C

How would you fix this misplaced modifier?

I nearly ate the whole cake.

• Nearly, I ate the whole cake.

• I ate nearly the whole cake.

• I ate the whole cake nearly.

Tags

CCSS.L.11-12.3A

CCSS.L.7.1C

Choose the correctly written sentence:

• She handed a sandwich to her friend on a paper plate.

• She handed her friend a sandwich on a paper plate.

• On a paper plate, she handed her friend a sandwich.

Tags

CCSS.L.11-12.3A

CCSS.L.7.1C

What is the misplaced modifier in this sentence?

The students saw a dolphin jumping from the boat.

• The students

• A dolphin

• Jumping from the boat
  

Tags

CCSS.L.11-12.3A

CCSS.L.7.1C