out on a swim, Tommy drank a root beer and tossed the empty plastic bottle early (adverb), The participial phrase functions as an adjective modifying Lynn. In a correct sentence, the subject (or doer) that is modified should immediately follow the comma after the modifier. Having been (participle) 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). Usually, this means right before or after the noun: This is also true when theyre modifying a verb or adjective: When a modifier isnt in this position, it can make the sentence confusing for a reader or listener. Copyright 2022 by The On-Campus Writing Lab& The OWL at Purdueand Purdue University. 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. C. After eating the cat food, Bowie belched. is correct or contains a misplaced Infused with his great sadness, Often, they can be found at the beginning of sentences, though they can also appear at a sentence's end. How he got in my pajamas, I dont know.Groucho Marx. With an angry snap of her fingers, she replaced Tommys In both cases, you can fix the problem by placing the modifier next to the word or phrase it describes. A misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that, because of its incorrect position within a sentence, modifies the wrong thing. Happy that school was over, the students thought the afternoon was quite relaxing. This kind of modifier is unclear because its placed in a way that makes it just as applicable to the word before it as it is to the word following it. Which of the following sentences is grammatically correct? Lets start with the basics: What are modifiers? 1. for Marina. Dangling Modifiers 2 Flashcards | Quizlet Garner, B. and cried. While looking in the mirror, the towel swayed in the breeze. 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. For example, in the following sentence, the word "burger" is modified by the word "vegetarian": A modifier can be an adjective (a word that modifies a noun, like "burger"), but it can also be an adverb (a word that modifies a verb): A modifier can even be a phrase or clause, as in the following example: Modifiers can also be used for sentence variety. In fact, theyre so common that we included them in our list of ten grammatical errors that make you look bad. The mysterious woman walked toward the car holding an umbrella. Chewing furiously, the gum fell out of my mouth. Example Neil Armstrong made history as the first man to step on the moon in 1969. Which of the following sentences contains a dangling participial phrase? Consider this sentence: Having finished the assignment, Jill turned on the TV. Purdue OWL is a registered trademark. An adjective phrase can act as a modifier. . With that out of the way, take a look at these examples of adjective phrases working as modifiers: Adjective clauses can work as modifiers too. Twelve Common Errors - The Writing Center - UW-Madison his coat (direct object of action expressed in participle), The participial phrase functions as an adjective modifying cousin. This is known as a. Robust, real-time communication assistance, Write, rewrite, get ideas, and quickly reply with GrammarlyGO, Features to polish, grammar, tone, clarity, team consistency, and more, Writing assistance on 500,000+ apps and sites across your devices, For desktop apps and websites like Word and Gmail, For sites like Google Docs, Gmail, and LinkedIn, Check for grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes, Format citations in APA, MLA, and Chicago, Demonstrative Pronouns: Definition and Examples, ten grammatical errors that make you look bad. Putting straws up his nose and barking like a walrus did not make Tommy Lets look at some dangling modifier and misplaced modifier examples to clear things up. Since a person must be doing the carrying for the sentence to make sense, a noun or pronoun that refers to a person must be in the place immediately after the participial phrase, as in the second sentence. The passage continues claiming . Assessing his set as clumsy and inelegant, not a single compliment was received To revise, decide who actually arrived late. While Marinas Dangling modifiers arent the only type of misplaced modifier. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Amy Luo. To raise a good dog, patience is useful. Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers Worksheet | YourDictionary A misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that, because of its incorrect position within a sentence, modifies the wrong thing. Here are a few examples of misplaced modifiers: One type of misplaced modifier is known as a. . I bought a fresh loaf of bread for my sandwich shopping in the grocery store. You have some unanswered questions. When a modifier is not modifying a specific word, we call it a dangling modifier. 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. January 17, 2020 The materials collected here do not express the views of, or positions held by, Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice. This kind of modifier is unclear because its placed in a way that makes it just as applicable to the word before it as it is to the word following it. How do you describe how an action is being performed? Placing the cold cuts on the bread, the lettuce was placed on top. Correct: They bought a kitten they call Shadow for my brother. c) comes at the end of a sentence and is separated from the word it modifies. A healthy lifestyle can help reduce stress by simply staying active and allowing time to relax. Contributors: Chris Berry, Karl Stolley Check all that apply. 3) I suggest that if people want to do well, he should try studying, too. Photovoltaic cells convert light energy from the sun and store this energy in batteries for easy use. Cite This Source. In a correct sentence, the subject (or doer) that is modified should immediately follow the comma after the modifier. In other words, there is no referent in the sentence. Correct: As Jane was riding in the sports car . Doctoral Capstone Preproposal Starter Kit, Sentence Structure and Types of Sentences, Relative, Restrictive, and Nonrestrictive Clauses, Verb Forms: "-ing," Infinitives, and Past Participles, Mastering the Mechanics: Modifiers (video transcript), Structuring Sentences: Dangling Modifiers (video transcript), Structuring Sentences: Misplaced Modifiers (video transcript), website accessibility and accommodation statement, Walden Departments, Centers, and Resources. In the first sentence, there is no clear indication of who or what is performing the action expressed in the participle carrying. without realizing it. The incorrect sentence reads as if it is the physician who has stomach pains! kicked him to the surface where he gulped a much-needed breath of air. Search our website or email us. Which sentences combine the ideas correctly? You might want to consult the rules before you make your choice! Wielding ancient ocean secrets with a snap of her fingers, Spending three hours working at my laptop, I took a break. The teacher served cookies to the children wrapped in aluminum foil. the tears hit the waves and attracted Marina, a beautiful mermaid. Because a car accident appears where the subject should be, the sentence now suggests that a car accident was driving to work. While driving to the veterinarians office, the dog nervously whined. Which of the following sentences contains a dangling modifier? A dangling modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that modifies an element that is missing from a sentence. 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. Chapter 8: The Writing Process: How Do I Begin? Refusing With the misplaced modifier, the word it describes is there, but in the wrong place. Sentence 3: Change "he" to "they" Sentence 4: Change "it" to " a test." Which sentence contains a dangling modifier? A misplaced modifier is a modifier that is placed too far from the word or words it modifies. Didn't find what you need? A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that describes, defines, or qualifies something else in a sentence. Having thus added the nounor person who did the actionthe writer corrected the sentence and fixed the error of the dangling modifier. Read the sample sentence, and then answer the questions. Misplaced modifiers describe a word or phrase that is in the sentence, but in the wrong place. Take a look at these examples: , the kids who played at the playground bought ice cream. What Is a Dangling Modifier? Fragments and Run-ons - The Writing Center - University of North Sometimes writers use modifiers incorrectly, leading to strange and unintentionally humorous sentences. 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. Return to The Concise Canadian Writer's Handbook 3e Student Resources. ACT English tests two broad content areas. Dangling Modifiers - The Grammar Guide - ProWritingAid While swimming the mile back to shore as A reader will wonder, "Was Dolger using astronavigation? The second is Rhetorical Skills (including strategy, organization, and style). A. Both of the example sentences above are complete sentences, but only one provides additional details about the train ride. To raise a good dog, patience is useful. This sentence says that the written excuse arrived late. 3) His use of the techniques emphasizes important ideas. Example The example above suggests that a gold manowns a watch. Sentence 1 Directions: Read the highlighted item in the passage below. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use. A. Which Sentence Contains A Misplaced Modifier? (a) After The Dogs Had Henry learned that, aside from writing books, Charles Dickens also travelled and read his stories to eager audiences in his English literature lecture. Chapter 7: Refining Your Writing: How Do I Improve My Writing Technique? INCORRECT: The experiment was a failure, not having studied the lab manual carefully. Punctuation: When a participial phrase begins a sentence, a comma should be placed after the phrase. Take a look at these examples to see a variety of ways modifiers operate in sentences: Before school starts, the teachers all drink, Modifiers work by adding descriptive language to sentences, either just before or just after the words they are modifying. Oxford University Press. Google Classroom. To fix a misplaced modifier, rearrange the words in a sentence. Theres nothing like a cone of chocolate ice cream on a hot day. Furthermore, misplaced modifiers can describe the wrong word or phrase, giving your reader the wrong impression and creating wild scenarios. Purdue OWL is a registered trademark. Usage and Mechanics requires fine-tuned punctuation and grammar knowledge. 1) People know that taking tests is hard, but you will get better grades by studying. Please share with a classmate and compare your answers. Walden University is a member of Adtalem Global Education, Inc. www.adtalem.com A dangerous and foolhardy activity, she dove into the ocean depths. Having finished the assignment, Jill turned on the TV. For one thing, they make the meaning of a sentence unclear and hinder communication. 1) Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. uses anaphora and connotation in his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. Another type is known as a. A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that modifies a word not clearly stated in the sentence. Last Edited: 2013-01-07 12:05:23. A. Yes! Do you really want to submit? by Some of the sentences contain a misplaced or dangling modifier. My studies have been focused on the social sciences, having taken two political science courses and one sociology course. The adjectival phrase tired after a long day at work is next to the word cat, not Mei like it should be. Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers | Exercise 2 | Grammar Bytes! In the example above, the first sentence fails to clarify whose hand was injured it does not state the subject of the introductory modifier phrase. D) While waiting for the bus, Egypt ate her breakfast. What is a dangling modifier? Stressed syllable in passage: pas-sage. These, too, are generally either adverbial or adjectival and can look like: Typically, modifiers are placed right beside the. she asked poor Tommy the reason for his pain. Did they previously live in bricks? The young lady was walking the dog on the telephone. or Incorrect: Riding in the sports car, the world whizzed by rapidly. See APA 7, Section 4.23 for more explanation and examples. With modifiers. Printed from Rei R. Noguchi, in his book Grammar and the Teaching of Writing, recommends two methods for testing your sentences. Typically, modifiers are adjectives and adverbs, but they can also be prepositional phrases or even entire clauses. the tail propelled Tommy through the strong surf. They can make a sentences meaning clearer, make a sentence more specific, or simply make it more engaging. Which sentence contains a misplaced modifier? Living in southern Ontario, her condominium was affected by the recent power shortages. A modifier describes or qualifies another part of a sentence. If they do not, it is very likely you have a dangling modifier. Oxford University Press. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. In this example, it is not clear who is consulting the selection of current publications. When a modifier is ambiguously or illogically modifying a word, we consider it amisplaced modifier. A dangling modifier occurs when the intendedsubject of the modifier is missing from the sentence, and instead another subject appears in its place. Incorrect: To win the spelling bee, Luis and Gerard should join our team. In this sentence, the intended target of the modifier, Jane, is missing. D. All of the above E. None of the above Click the card to flip A. Relationships Psychology- PAST PAPER Q&As, The Language of Composition: Reading, Writing, Rhetoric, Lawrence Scanlon, Renee H. Shea, Robin Dissin Aufses. A dog appeared in my dreams that sang like an angel. "Having finished" states an action but does not name the doer of that action. One day 2.7 Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers - Writing for Success The following sentence has an incorrect usage: "Having finished" is a participle expressing action, but the doer is not the TV set (the subject of the main clause): TV sets don't finish assignments. How do you specify what somebody looks like? With modifiers. What's Actually Tested on the ACT English Section? - PrepScholar , asked about the schools testing schedule. Piled up next to the bookshelf, I chose a romance novel. Make sure the modifier and noun go together logically. By using the commonsense method, determine the meaning of the italicized words below. Misplaced and dangling modifiers. What is a Dangling Modifier? Definition, Examples of Dangling Modifiers Heres an example of a dangling modifier: Happy that school was over, the afternoon was quite relaxing. A modifier provides a concept's definition, clarification, or more information. A few examples of single words that may be used as modifiers are: Modifier phrases, which can be adverbial or adjectival phrases, are phrases like: Sometimes, clauses act as modifiers. A participle is a verbal that is used as an adjective and most often ends in -ing or -ed. Note that if the participial phrase is essential to the meaning of the sentence, no commas should be used: If a participial phrase comes at the end of a sentence, a comma usually precedes the phrase if it modifies an earlier word in the sentence but not if the phrase directly follows the word it modifies. Ranging from mild to acute, UNICEF reports that 20 per cent of Iraq's 3.5 million children suffer from malnutrition. Removing (participle) On completing the grammar quiz, spiking your pencil is acceptable. played at the playground bought ice cream. Scribbr. a gymnast (subject complement for Lynn, via state of being expressed in participle). a. du b. au c. a la 6. Dangling Modifiers and How To Correct Them - Purdue Writing Lab made not only to Marina but also to the grieving reptile mother. Canvas However, since they function as adjectives, participles modify nouns or pronouns. Compare your paper to billions of pages and articles with Scribbrs Turnitin-powered plagiarism checker. Incorrect: Walking home at night, the trees looked like spooky aliens. What Is a Misplaced Modifier? | Examples & How to Fix - Scribbr Decide if the underlined part of each sentence is an absolute phrase, an appositive phrase, a restrictive clause, or a nonrestrictive clause. A problem arises when these modifying phrases aren't clearly attached to the subject of a sentence . | Examples & How to Eliminate. Or was the civilization he discovered using astronavigation?". Participles and participial phrases must be placed as close to the nouns or pronouns they modify . Which sentence contains a dangling modifier? - Brainly Handouts Rules Dangling Modifier: Definition & Examples - Study.com My uncle with indigestion had to see a doctor. The mechanics worked hard to prepare the car for the race and finished second. 1.4 Introduction to Writing: End-of-Chapter Exercises, 2.8 Writing Basics: End-of-Chapter Exercises, 3.9 Punctuation: End-of-Chapter Exercises, 4.7 Working with Words: End-of-Chapter Exercises, 5.3 Count and Noncount Nouns and Articles, 5.9 Help for English Language Learners: End-of-Chapter Exercises, 6.2 Effective Means for Writing a Paragraph, 6.3 Writing Paragraphs: End-of-Chapter Exercises, 7.4 Refining Your Writing: End-of-Chapter Exercises, 8.5 The Writing Process: End-of-Chapter Exercises, 9.1 Developing a Strong, Clear Thesis Statement, 9.4 Writing Introductory and Concluding Paragraphs, 9.5 Writing Essays: End-of-Chapter Exercises, 10.10 Rhetorical Modes: End-of-Chapter Exercises, 11.2 Steps in Developing a Research Proposal, 11.4 Strategies for Gathering Reliable Information, 11.5 Critical Thinking and Research Applications, 11.6 Writing from Research: End-of-Chapter Exercises, 12.1 Creating a Rough Draft for a Research Paper, 12.2 Developing a Final Draft of a Research Paper, 12.3 Writing a Research Paper: End-of-Chapter Exercises, 13.4 Using Modern Language Association (MLA) Style, 13.5 APA and MLA Documentation and Formatting: End-of-Chapter Exercises, 14.2 Incorporating Effective Visuals into a Presentation, 14.4 Creating Presentations: End-of-Chapter Exercises. The misplaced modifier is separated from the word its supposed to describe, so the meaning of the sentence is lost. A participial phrase consists of a participle plus modifier(s), object(s), and/or complement(s). Incorrect: They bought a kitten for my brother they call Shadow. Being a first-year student, my professors do not accept Wikipedia as a credible source of information. How to pronounce passage: pas-ij. Dangling modifiers describe a word or phrase that is not included in the sentence. Incorrect. Passage describes the act of passing or traveling from one place to the next. What are the different kinds of modifiers? Want to create or adapt books like this? For example, in the following sentence, the word "burger" is modified by the word "vegetarian": Example: I'm going to the Saturn Caf for a vegetarian burger. out of the ocean as sleek as a seal, Tommy gasped at the sight. And like adjectival phrases, adverbial phrases are often used by writers to make descriptions more vivid: Writers also modify sentences with adverbial clauses like: Prepositional phrases can also be used as modifiers. DANGLING AND MISPLACED MODIFIERS Dangling Modifiers are words or phrases that do not have a clear term to modify in a sentence. All rights reserved. How do you describe how an action is being performed? Note that these videos were created while APA 6 was the style guide edition in use. How many syllables in passage? Furthermore, they can be downright illogical. The second sentence contains both a modifier and a modifier phrase. Copyright 2022 by The On-Campus Writing Lab& The OWL at Purdueand Purdue University. Which of the following sentences contains a dangling modifier? Playing a guitar in the bedroom, the cat was seen under the bed. This is an example of how dangling modifiers can result in nonsensical sentences. document.write([location.protocol, '//', location.host, location.pathname].join('')); REVISED: They failed the experiment, not having studied the lab manual carefully. Fowlers dictionary of modern English usage(4th ed.). along the shoreline (prepositional phrase as adverb), The participial phrase functions as an adjective modifying children. Tommy explained that he had For example, if you say purple womens shoes, it sounds like the women are purple, not the shoes. Writing Coherent Sentences (ed2020) Flashcards | Quizlet Chapter 9: Writing Essays: From Start to Finish. Learn how to correct misplaced and dangling modifiers. Chapter 5: Help for English Language Learners, Chapter 6: Writing Paragraphs: Separating Ideas and Shaping Content. There are two types of participles: present participles and past participles. A participial phrase is set off with commas when it: b) interrupts a sentence as a nonessential element. Modifiers - Grammar - Academic Guides at Walden University Oxford University Press, 2023. Twitter Charlie spotted a stray puppy driving home from work. Butterfield, J. Here, well explain how to avoid and fix misplaced modifiers so you come across as intended whenever you communicate. To revise, combine the phrase and the main clause into one sentence. Which sentence corrects the dangling modifier in the sample sentence? The word or words a dangling modifier should modify have been omitted from the sentence. The second sentence is more descriptive because of the modifiers it contains. (2022, October 20). Crawling across the floor, the blocks fell over. To fix a misplaced modifier in your writing, you simply have to rearrange the words in a sentence. After identifying the error (if there is one), fix the sentence. 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. Consider using more-specific words in your revision. While a modifier is a single word that alters a sentences meaning, a modifier phrase is a, that functions as a 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. Both of the example sentences above are complete sentences, but only one provides additional details about the train ride. Garners modern English usage (4th ed.). We are looking for a babysitter for our precious six-year-old who doesnt drink or smoke and owns a car. This is a deceptively simple task, but rise to the challenge. Dangling his legs over the water, Tommy sat on the pier There are two simple ways to fix a dangling modifier. In the context of the passage as a whole, "address" is closest in The modifier "vegetarian" gives extra information about what kind of burger it is. A participial phrase is a group of words consisting of a participle and the modifier(s) and/or (pro)noun(s) or noun phrase(s) that function as the direct object(s), indirect object(s), or complement(s) of the action or state expressed in the participle, such as: The participial phrase functions as an adjective modifying Jack. This can produce to difficulty in the comprehension of the text. I ate nothing but a cold bowl of noodles for dinner. Humming and chewing, my sandwich went down smoothly. However, if we place the modifying phrase next to the word it describes, the sentence becomes correct. 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.". dangling modifier is a word or phrase that modifies a word not clearly stated in the sentence. Problem. Here are a few examples: You might be able to guess what these sentences are communicating, but they feel awkward and choppy. Copyright 1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University.
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