Modifiers (Misplaced and Dangling)

Which sentence uses the modifier correctly?

• Flying over the city, the lights were beautiful.

• Flying over the city, we saw beautiful lights.

• Flying over the city, beautiful lights were seen.

• Flying over the city, the airplane saw beautiful lights.

Answer explanation

The modifier 'Flying over the city' correctly describes 'we' as the ones doing the flying.

Complete the sentence: _____, the dog barked loudly.

• Running through the yard

• Running through the yard, the dog

• The dog running through the yard

• Running through the yard, loudly barking

Answer explanation

The phrase 'Running through the yard' correctly modifies 'the dog' as the one doing the running.

True or False: Dangling modifiers often make sentences unclear.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

Dangling modifiers can make it unclear what is being described, leading to confusion.

Which sentence has a misplaced modifier?

• She almost drove her kids to school every day.

• She drove her kids to school almost every day.

• Almost every day, she drove her kids to school.

• Every day, she almost drove her kids to school.

Answer explanation

'Almost' should modify 'every day', not the act of driving.

Complete the sentence: The man _____ sold me the car.

• who was wearing a hat

• wearing a hat who

• was wearing a hat who

• who wearing a hat

Answer explanation

The clause 'who was wearing a hat' correctly modifies 'the man'.

Identify the sentence with the correct modifier placement.

• The cat sat on the mat purring loudly.

• Purring loudly, the cat sat on the mat.

• The cat purring loudly sat on the mat.

• The cat sat purring loudly on the mat.

Answer explanation

The modifier 'Purring loudly' correctly describes the cat.

True or False: Modifiers should always be placed as close as possible to the words they modify.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

Placing modifiers close to the words they modify helps avoid confusion.

Which sentence corrects the dangling modifier?

• Walking through the park, the flowers were beautiful.

• Walking through the park, we admired the beautiful flowers.

• The flowers were beautiful walking through the park.

• Beautiful flowers were walking through the park.

Answer explanation

The modifier 'Walking through the park' is correctly placed to describe 'we'.

Identify the sentence with a misplaced modifier.

• I found a dollar walking to school.

• Walking to school, I found a dollar.

• I, walking to school, found a dollar.

• Found a dollar walking to school, I did.

Answer explanation

The modifier 'walking to school' is misplaced as it seems to modify 'a dollar'.

Choose the sentence that corrects the misplaced modifier.

• She served sandwiches to the children on paper plates.

• She served sandwiches on paper plates to the children.

• On paper plates, she served sandwiches to the children.

• To the children, she served sandwiches on paper plates.

Answer explanation

The modifier 'on paper plates' is correctly placed to describe the sandwiches.