Dangling Participles and Modifiers

The video tutorial explains dangling participles, which are verbals that modify nouns or pronouns incorrectly. It provides examples of incorrect sentences and demonstrates how to correct them by ensuring the participle modifies a noun or pronoun capable of performing the action. The tutorial includes practice exercises for students to identify and correct dangling modifiers, reinforcing the concept. Additional resources for further grammar lessons are provided.

What is a dangling participle?

• A participle that correctly modifies a noun

• A participle that is out of place and modifies a word that cannot perform its action

• A noun that modifies a verb

• A verb that modifies an adjective

Which of the following sentences contains a dangling participle?

• Running down the pier, the surfboard was smashed.

• While going to get a hot dog, Mick left his skateboard on the pier.

• Waiting in the surf, Slim lost his shoes.

• Running down the pier, I fell and smashed my surfboard.

In the sentence 'Eating a hot dog, the skateboard was left on the pier,' what is the error?

• The pier cannot hold a skateboard.

• The skateboard cannot eat a hot dog.

• The skateboard was not left on the pier.

• The hot dog was not eaten.

How should the sentence 'Waiting in the surf, Slim's shoes came off his feet' be corrected?

• Slim's shoes waited in the surf.

• Waiting in the surf, Slim lost his shoes.

• Slim's shoes were waiting in the surf.

• Slim came off his feet waiting in the surf.

What is the correct way to modify a participle?

• It should modify a verb.

• It should modify a noun or pronoun capable of performing or receiving the participle's action.

• It should modify an adjective.

• It should modify any word in the sentence.

In the sentence 'Fishing from the pier, Bub's bathing suit was torn,' what is the issue?

• The bathing suit cannot fish.

• The pier was fishing.

• Bub was not fishing.

• The bathing suit was not torn.

What is a good strategy to teach students about dangling modifiers?

• Have them write silly dangling modifiers and correct them.

• Have them avoid using participles.

• Have them write correct sentences only.

• Have them memorize definitions.