In history essays, you have to analyze significant events that have a lot of detail in a precise paragraph. This website collects and publishes the ideas of individuals who have contributed those ideas in their capacities as faculty-mentored student scholars. Writing Letters of Recommendation for Students, Comparing Gerunds, Participles, and Infinitives. Which sentence contains a misplaced modifier? Often, they can be found at the beginning of sentences, though they can also appear at a sentence's end. document.write([location.protocol, '//', location.host, location.pathname].join('')); Rei R. Noguchi, in his book Grammar and the Teaching of Writing, recommends two methods for testing your sentences. In the example below, the introductory phrase modifies Jane, the subject of the main clause. Rewrite the following the sentences onto your own sheet of paper to correct the dangling modifiers. A. Fowlers dictionary of modern English usage(4th ed.). Then decide whether the sentence is correct or contains a misplaced or dangling modifier. Dangling modifiers make unclear the meaning of a sentence. You might hear or read that adjective phrases describe adjectives, and this is true in a pedantic sensean adjective phrase does replace a single adjective by describing what that single adjective would communicate. Il y a des marches ________ Etats-Unis? 2 syllables. Later on in the passage, we learn that T. S. Eliot was not a man concerned with a "new" style of writing and yet was able to produce "innovative" poetry. Writing, grammar, and communication tips for your inbox. Wanting to make a delicious sandwich, the mayonnaise was thickly spread. This sentence says that the experiment was trying to improve its own results. Revised on Sentence 1: Change "you" to "they' Sentence 2: Change "me" to "I". Misplaced and dangling modifiers distract the reader. After being thoroughly cooked, we enjoyed a delicious lobster dinner. A misplaced modifier is improperly positioned in relation to the word, phrase or clause it is supposed to describe. Incorrect. Misplaced and dangling modifiers make sentences difficult to understand. Choose the word that is not related in meaning to the other words. A dangling modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that modifies an element that is missing from a sentence. The following three steps will help you quickly spot a dangling modifier: Look for an -ing modifier at the beginning of your sentence or another modifying phrase: Painting for three hours at night, the kitchen was finally finished by Maggie. (Ed.). she asked poor Tommy the reason for his pain. Mei napped with her cat, tired after a long day at work. Looking around the aisle of my local drugstore, I was amazed by the varieties of cosmetics that are available today. Certainly, foot can't be logically understood to function in this way. Another type is known as a. Putting straws up his nose and barking like a walrus did not make Tommy Hanging on a fencepost in a field, I saw a pair of boots. In other words, there is no referent in the sentence. What Is a Dangling Modifier? Dangling modifiers often appear at the beginning of the sentence as a participle phrase. Choisis la preposition et l'article ou la contraction qui convient pour completer chaque phrase. 3. This modifier placement makes it clear that the "civilization" used astronavigation. Having thus added the nounor person who did the actionthe writer corrected the sentence and fixed the error of the dangling modifier. The first is Usage and Mechanics (including punctuation, grammar, usage, and sentence structure). The revision might look something like this: INCORRECT: After reading the original study, the article remains unconvincing. October 20, 2022. Misplaced modifiers describe a word or phrase that is in the sentence, but in the wrong place. B. But the purpose of an adjective is to describe a noun, and an adjective phrase ultimately describes a noun by providing a more vivid description than a single adjective can. Leaving home for my first apartment, there was a sense of excitement. a. de la b. des c.du 5. a regular human being, Tommy regretted the gift that he had squandered. This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. Dangling his legs over the water, Tommy sat on the pier and cried. Typically, modifiers are adjectives and adverbs, but they can also be prepositional phrases or even entire clauses. Did we build a house using bricks? I learned several rules to stay safe from bears in the woods: get off the trail by sundown, make lots of noise so bears know you're there, and __________. Dangling modifiers describe a word or phrase that is not included in the sentence. Is it the sister or the car? In the second, did they run out of bricks? Eliminate grammar errors and improve your writing with our free AI-powered grammar checker. , all rights reserved. The adverb "carefully" is the modifier in this exampleit modifies the verb "proofread," giving important details about how the proofreading was conducted. Learn how to correct misplaced and dangling modifiers. A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that modifies a word not clearly stated in the sentence. A. Here are a few examples: You might be able to guess what these sentences are communicating, but they feel awkward and choppy. Make sure the modifier and noun go together logically. Another method of fixing a dangling modifier is to include the subject in the introductory phrase, leaving the main clause as it is. Tommy explained that he had Instead, they become stumped trying to figure out what the writer meant to say. The . Packing for a trip, a cockroach scurried down the hallway. A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that modifies a word not clearly stated in the sentence. These, too, are generally either adverbial or adjectival and can look like: Here are a few examples of modifier phrases in action: And here are some examples of modifier clauses working in sentences: Typically, modifiers are placed right beside the noun theyre modifying. DANGLING AND MISPLACED MODIFIERS Dangling Modifiers are words or phrases that do not have a clear term to modify in a sentence. lost the surfing championship, which included a scholarship to college. Purdue OWL is a registered trademark. Naturally, theyre often used as modifiers: can also be used as modifiers. In both cases, you can fix the problem by placing the modifier next to the word or phrase it describes. Fundamentally, modifiers' purpose is to make sentences more descriptive or detailed. This is similar to how, are phrases that function as adjectives, noun phrases are phrases that function as nouns, and other grammatical phrases function as specific. A reader will wonder, "Was Dolger using astronavigation? Female Salvation Army officers in the nineteenth century were expected to raise funds by preaching to crowds in attractive dresses. To raise a good dog, patience is useful. Repaired: Tyler found almost fifty cents under the sofa cushions. is correct or contains a misplaced Making discoveries about new creatures, this is an interesting time to be a biologist. The main difference between misplaced modifiers and dangling modifiers is whether the word theyre supposed to describe is in the sentence. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice. Which of the following sentences contains a dangling participial phrase? Also known as ambiguous modifiers or squinting modifiers, misplaced modifiers are a common mistake. Watching the game with her friends, her favourite soccer team won the championship. This is a deceptively simple task, but rise to the challenge. Usually, this means right before or after the noun: This is also true when theyre modifying a, When a modifier isnt in this position, it can make the sentence confusing for a reader or listener. Rewrite the following paragraph correcting all the misplaced and dangling modifiers. Our food stayed in the bag while it was hot. This is known as a. for Marina. Assessing his set as clumsy and inelegant, not a single compliment was received The word or words a dangling modifier should modify have been omitted from the sentence. Theres nothing like a cone of chocolate ice cream on a hot day. Please share with a classmate and compare your answers. Piled up next to the bookshelf, I chose a romance novel. The term verbal indicates that a participle, like the other two kinds of verbals, is based on a verb and therefore expresses action or a state of being. Chapter 4: Working with Words: Which Word Is Right? How do you communicate where, when, or how something happened? A dangling modifier (or simply a dangler) is a word, phrase, or clause that describes something that has been left out of the sentence. Now the subject in the sentence I matches the modifier after consulting a selection of current publications., Now the modifier according to the selection of current publications matches the subject research.. See APA 7, Section 4.23 for more explanation and examples. Crawling across the floor, the baby knocked over the blocks. For a quick refresher on how to fit these components together to build sentences, read our post on. Diving into the waves, INCORRECT: The experiment was a failure, not having studied the lab manual carefully. Polluting the ocean so carelessly was the last clam shell I did not think that the clown was funny. Another type is known as a squinting modifier. Correct: As Jane was riding in the sports car, the world whizzed by rapidly. Popping music (direct object of action expressed in participle) ACT English tests two broad content areas. , asked about the schools testing schedule. Chapter 2: Writing Basics: What Makes a Good Sentence? In a correct sentence, the subject (or doer) that is modified should immediately follow the comma after the modifier. theyre modifying. Sometimes, modifiers can get lost or misplaced in a sentence. Placement: In order to prevent confusion, a participial phrase must be placed as close to the noun it modifies as possible, and the noun must be clearly stated. With an angry snap of her fingers, she replaced Tommys "Having finished" states an action but does not name the doer of that action. The possible revision might look like this: The main clause now names the person (the captain) who did the action in the modifying phrase (arrived late). Explanation: A dangling modifier is a grammatical structure where a modifier could be associated with the wrong word or subject, or it can be associated with no particular word at all. Place modifiers near the words they describe; be sure the modified words actually appear in the sentence. Both of the example sentences above are complete sentences, but only one provides additional details about the train ride. Lets look at some dangling modifier and misplaced modifier examples to clear things up. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use. Remember, modifiers are supposed to appear next to the words they describe, so just move a misplaced modifier before or after the right word. Return to The Concise Canadian Writer's Handbook 3e Student Resources. Oxford University Press, 2023. Which one of these options completes the sentence in a way that makes the most sense? How do you specify what somebody looks like? Placing the cold cuts on the bread, the lettuce was placed on top. C. When taking a grammar quiz, concentration is everything. Here are a few examples of misplaced modifiers: One type of misplaced modifier is known as a. . a. du b. la c. de la 2. Example While driving to work, Jane witnessed a car accident on the highway. Chapter 7: Refining Your Writing: How Do I Improve My Writing Technique? Example Neil Armstrong made history as the first man to step on the moon in 1969. This sentence says that "it" didn't know his name. (2016). La caissiere ___________ supermarche est tres sympa. Ideally, modifiers appear next to the word or phrase they describe, either directly before or after it. The materials collected here do not express the views of, or positions held by, Purdue University. The misplaced modifier is separated from the word its supposed to describe, so the meaning of the sentence is lost. When examining Pablo Picasso's art, his paintings often portray people with distorted faces. See APA 7, Section 4.23 for more explanation and examples. Ecstatic about his new Some animals, such as male frogs, only use their vocal organs to attract a mate. she dove into the ocean depths. highlighted item in the passage below. While swimming the mile back to shore as Too many equally weighted phrases and clauses produce tiresome sentences. You have some unanswered questions. a. d' b. la c. del'. Scrubbing the tile grout with bleach and an old toothbrush, the mildew stains began to fade. We are looking for a babysitter for our precious six-year-old who doesnt drink or smoke and owns a car. Which of the following sentences contains a dangling modifier? Naturally, theyre often used as modifiers: Adverbial phrases are a lot like adjectival phrases in that theyre phrases that perform the same functions as adverbs. We quietly glued together the vase we broke. YouTube A participle is a verbal ending in -ing (present) or -ed, -en, -d, -t, -n, or -ne (past) that functions as an adjective, modifying a noun or pronoun. A dangling modifier is a type of misplaced modifier. Didn't find what you need? Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers | Exercise 2 | Grammar Bytes! When this happens, things can get very confusing! 1. You guessed itwith modifiers. They can make a sentences meaning clearer, make a sentence more specific, or simply make it more engaging. Here are a few example sentences: Limiting modifiers are modifiers that add detail by describing the limits a noun, pronoun, or other subject in a sentence faces. dangling modifier is a word or phrase that modifies a word not clearly stated in the sentence. A dangling modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that describes something that has been left out of the sentence. With the misplaced modifier, the word it describes is there, but in the wrong place. Copyright 1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. But the purpose of an adjective is to describe a noun, and an adjective phrase ultimately describes a noun by providing a more vivid description than a single adjective can. Relieved of your responsibilities at your job, not having studied the lab manual carefully, Writing Letters of Recommendation for Students, Higher Order Concerns (HOCs) and Lower Order Concerns (LOCs), Dangling Modifiers and How To Correct Them, Overview of Two-Part (Phrasal) Verbs (Idioms), Comparing Gerunds, Participles, and Infinitives. The clown at the party was very nice. Exchange papers with a classmate, and rewrite your classmates sentences to correct any misplaced modifiers. A participial phrase is set off with commas when it: b) interrupts a sentence as a nonessential element. After finishing the team's presentation at the board meeting, the president complimented us. Chapter 9: Writing Essays: From Start to Finish. A dangling modifier is misplaced because it does not have anything to modify. Usage and Mechanics requires fine-tuned punctuation and grammar knowledge. A participle is a verbal that is used as an adjective and most often ends in -ing or -ed. 2) He uses these techniques at the same time. B) The school bus has a morning and afternoon route. | Examples & How to Eliminate. Misplaced modifiers describe a word or phrase that is in the sentence, but in the wrong place. There are several effective ways to identify and correct misplaced and dangling modifiers. In this case, purple is the misplaced modifier. Humming and chewing, my sandwich went down smoothly. Contributors: Chris Berry, Karl Stolley In this sentence, it is Jill. Dangling modifiers arent the only type of misplaced modifier. Correct: They bought a kitten they call Shadow for my brother. Furthermore, misplaced modifiers can describe the wrong word or phrase, giving your reader the wrong impression and creating wild scenarios. a. du b. au c. de la 3. J'adore le marche ___________ Ville! See answers Advertisement WorldlyGlass49 My studies have been focused on the social sciences, having taken two political science courses and one sociology course. Instead, the modifier is incorrectly attached to a different person or thing. Handouts Rules For example, heres how the word only can modify a sentence: Its GO time for generative AI writing assistance, Grammarly helps you communicate confidently. Rhetorical Skills focuses on your comprehending of . abilities, the training and advice Marina offered went unheeded. Both of the example sentences above are complete sentences, but only one provides additional details about the train ride. Misplaced There are two types of participles: present participles and past participles. Directions: Read the sentence below. After identifying the error (if there is one), fix the sentence. Turn your sentences into tag questions (sentences that end with a questioning phrase at the very endlook at our examples below). Write PPP above each proper noun and CCC above each common noun. The two common types of modifier errors are called misplaced modifiers and dangling modifiers. a gymnast (subject complement for Lynn, via state of being expressed in participle). Here, well explain how to avoid and fix misplaced modifiers so you come across as intended whenever you communicate. Oxford University Press. Rewrite and paraphrase texts instantly with our AI-powered paraphrasing tool. You should be aware that textbook requirements might change for this course while processing your order. They can make a sentences meaning clearer, make a sentence more specific, or simply make it more engaging. a. du b. au c. a la 6. The corrected version of the sentence clarifies the writers meaning. While driving to the veterinarians office, the dog nervously whined. As we mentioned above, modifiers can be single words, phrases, or clauses. The mysterious woman walked toward the car holding an umbrella. Wielding ancient ocean secrets with a snap of her fingers, Last Edited: 2013-01-07 12:05:23. "Having finished" states an action but does not name the doer of that action. Charlie spotted a stray puppy driving home from work. B. With modifiers. One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. (Painting is the -ing modifier.). Sentence 1 Directions: Read the highlighted item in the passage below. Relationships Psychology- PAST PAPER Q&As, The Language of Composition: Reading, Writing, Rhetoric, Lawrence Scanlon, Renee H. Shea, Robin Dissin Aufses. early (adverb), The participial phrase functions as an adjective modifying Lynn. To revise, decide who actually arrived late. Sinking under the waves, Tommys legs finally We glued together the vase we broke quietly. Tommy also insisted on head bumping the great white sharks that he encountered. If either of these errors occurs, readers can no longer read smoothly. On completing the grammar quiz, spiking your pencil is acceptable. You might hear or read that adjective phrases describe adjectives, and this is true in a pedantic sensean adjective phrase. Which sentence corrects the dangling modifier in the sample sentence? Because a car accident appears where the subject should be, the sentence now suggests that a car accident was driving to work. The definition of Passage is a portion or section of a written work; a paragraph, verse, etc.. See additional meanings and similar words. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. 4) In my opinion, scoring well on it is all about how you prepare. Sophie va aller ________ supermarche ce matin. How to say passage: pronounce syllables in passage. Uncle Louie bought a running stroller for the baby that he called Speed Racer.. To raise a good dog, patience is useful. The Problem With Phrases January 17, 2020 scrambling endangered sea turtle eggs for breakfast, an apology had to be Painting for three hours at night, Maggie finally finished the kitchen. Note for Purdue Students: Schedule a consultation at the on-campus writing lab to get more in-depth writing help from one of our tutors. Decide if the underlined part of each sentence is an absolute phrase, an appositive phrase, a restrictive clause, or a nonrestrictive clause. played at the playground bought ice cream. The adjectival phrase tired after a long day at work is next to the word cat, not Mei like it should be. When a modifier is not modifying a specific word, we call it a dangling modifier. Stressed syllable in passage: pas-sage. Modifiers work by adding descriptive language to sentences, either just before or just after the words they are modifying. A participial phrase consists of a participle plus modifier(s), object(s), and/or complement(s). Watching Disney movies, heroines are always long-legged, ample-breasted beauties. A modifier provides a concept's definition, clarification, or more information. REVISED: After reading the original study, I find the article unconvincing. Take a look at these two examples: The second sentence is more descriptive because of the modifiers it contains. A modifier describes, clarifies, or gives more detail about a concept. A healthy lifestyle can help reduce stress by simply staying active and allowing time to relax. Your writing will be stronger for it. By using the commonsense method, determine the meaning of the italicized words below. Misplaced modifiers are a major grammar mistake writers should avoid. There may be some examples of writing that have not been updated to APA 7 guidelines. To revise, combine the phrase and the main clause into one sentence. A dog appeared in my dreams that sang like an angel. from the judges. Clearer ways of writing these sentences are: Dangling modifiers arent the only type of misplaced modifier. Every year, the conference gathers together the region's top experts on water protection and pollution, which is hosted by the local conservation authority. 2) I learned this lesson when my friend and me studied all afternoon, then aced our final exam for biology. There are two simple ways to fix a dangling modifier. REVISED: Relieved of your responsibilities at your job, you should be able to relax at home. They can make a sentence's meaning clearer, make a sentence more specific, or simply make it more engaging. An adjective phrase can act as a modifier. Modifiers include descriptive words such as adjectives and adverbs: She always listened attentively in class. Saying c) comes at the end of a sentence and is separated from the word it modifies. The revision might look something like this: The phrase is now a complete introductory clause; it does not modify any other part of the sentence, so is not considered "dangling.". A modifier describes, clarifies, or gives more detail about a concept. D) While waiting for the bus, Egypt ate her breakfast. Ideally, modifiers appear next to the word or phrase they describe, either directly before or after it. For a quick refresher on how to fit these components together to build sentences, read our post on sentence structure. Here are a few examples: And of course, single adjectives can be used as modifiers too: An adverb is a word that modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. Here are a few example sentences: are modifiers that add detail by describing the limits a noun, pronoun, or other subject in a sentence faces. To raise a good dog, patience is useful. With modifiers. In grammar, thats a misplaced modifier. When there is nothing that the word, phrase, or clause can modify, the modifier is said to dangle. After Tommy bemoaned his ineptitude on a surfboard, Marina Specifically, theyre words that modify their sentences meanings. Some of the sentences contain a misplaced or dangling modifier. This is similar to how adjective phrases are phrases that function as adjectives, noun phrases are phrases that function as nouns, and other grammatical phrases function as specific parts of speech. Now, lets look at a similar misplaced modifier example: Happy that school was over, the afternoon was quite relaxing for the students. Incorrect: Walking home at night, the trees looked like spooky aliens. a metallic green tail replaced Tommys legs! Arriving late for the movie, Jack quietly took a seat.
which sentence in the passage contains a dangling modifier