A misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that doesnt clearly relate to the word or phrase it is intended to modify. The simplest form of a modifier would be an adjective or adverb. In each case, see if you can explain both the intended meaning and the unintended meaning. Using what they learn, students will create misplaced modifier cartoons. English grammar exercise dangling modifiers 1 identifying. Ixl misplaced modifiers with pictures 7th grade language arts. He sat very quietly, rolling his eyes in his chair.
On july 20, 1969, american astronauts neil armstrong and edwin buzz aldrin landed on the moon, watched by nearly a fifth of the worlds population. The two common types of modifier errors are called misplaced modifiers and dangling modifiers. Unlike a misplaced modifier, a dangling modifier cannot be corrected by simply moving it to a different place in a sentence. This could mean that the modifier is in the wrong place in the sentence or that the word the modifier should describe is omitted from the sentence. September 4, 2009 general grammar grammar girl here. Illustrated misplaced modifier examples to make you smile. First, identify the misplaced or dangling modifier. Illustrated misplaced modifier examples to make you smile everyone knows that misplaced modifier examples can be hilarious, thanks to a certain invasive elephant. Get a good laugh with misplaced modifiers bka content.
Adjectives and adverbs are the most common types of modifiers, but there are others. If you would like the answers to all the worksheets total of 20 different topics, along with tips on teaching or learning every topic, get the answers with teaching tips to every worksheet, a total of 208 pages of grammar, usage, and writing style exercises, with answers and. Modifiers can include the present participle of a verb ing or the past. Check your answers with the interactive version of the exercise. Misplaced modifiers a misplaced modifier is a modifying word, phrase, or clause that does not point clearly and directly to what it is supposed to modify. The sugar bowl was full of quarters that had been saved for a rainy day. Sep 04, 2009 it refers to a phrase or clause that acts on something other than what the writer intended. Having learned spanish in just three months, the stay in mexico was a success. It occurs when the modifier has no clear referent, often causing confusion and twisting the meaning of words in an unintended fashion. Modifiers offer detail that can make a sentence more engaging, clearer, or specific. Refer to discovery, 324327, for additional practice. We can limit the applicability of this phrase by introducing various modifiers into it.
You can find the topics below in the questions of the quiz. Quia practice quiz dangling and misplaced modifiers. They provide additional information and can make a sentence much more interesting. The curious case of the misplaced modifier this podcast was written by bonnie trenga, author of the curious case of the misplaced modifier, who blogs at sentencesleuth. Modifiers can include the present participle of a verb ing or the past participle of a verb ed. Modifiers are words, phrases, and clauses that affect and often enhance the meaning of a sentence. Draw a line under the dangling modifier in each of the following sentences. I almost saw the whole movie, but i fell asleep around midnight. Using modifiers correctly will improve the clarity of your work. However, when a modifying clause is placed awkwardly in a sentence, it may refer to an unintended word. A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that clarifies or describes another word, phrase, or clause.
Dangling modifiers other times we write descriptive phrases that point to or modify words that are not clearly stated in our sentences, making our sentences illogical. Confusing clear mary got into the police car wearing a wrinkled skirt. Sometimes writers use modifiers incorrectly, leading to strange and unintentionally humorous sentences. Practice 1 revising sentences with misplaced modifiers a m ong th esc ip l ad f r p rep o sitio n a l p h ra ses, p a rticip ia l p h ra ses, a n d a d jective cla u ses. A misplaced modifier is a phrase, clause, or word that is incorrectly separated from the word it modifies. The bus station was located by a river which was made of red brick. The light bulb turned on for more students after i showed them a physical example of a dangling modifier. This is a practice quiz over problems with modifiers.
Rewrite each sentence to eliminate any misplaced or dangling participles. A squinting modifier is a special type of misplacement referring both to what precedes and what follows it. In the mm sentences, rewrite the sentences correctly. Its clear that theyre funny, but its high time we address the elephant in the room or in the pajamas. Sitting on the top shelf of the refrigerator, desmond saw moms pristine birthday. Saved for a rainy day, the sugar bowl was full of quarters. Misplaced modifiers are important to be aware of in order to avoid them, and this quizworksheet will help you test your understanding of their problems and. Mark lester and larry beason point out that misplaced modifiers do not make sentences ungrammatical. Rewrite each sentence, moving the misplaced modifier to its correct position. Some of the worksheets for this concept are dangling and misplaced modifiers, misplaced modifiers, 7 misplaced and dangling modifiers, grammar work misplaced and dangling participles, name date misplaced and dangling m e 1, misplaced modifiers, misplaced modifiers introductory project, name date misplaced modifiers. Sitting on the top shelf of the refrigerator, moms pristine birthday cake caught desmonds attention.
Phrases generally modify the subject that they appear closest to. Misplaced modifiers are words or phrases that do not clearly point to the word or phrase they. Most commonly, misplaced modifiers are funny because the modifiers describe the wrong element in the. Jun 18, 2017 a misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that doesnt clearly relate to the word or phrase it is intended to modify. Then, on the line provided, revise each sentence so that it is clear and correct. James outside three rivers stadium on the night of the raid on charges of marijuana possession. If it doesnt the modifier dangles from hacker, diana. Shaken, not stirred, james bond likes his martinis. Smoking my cigar, a fire engine came roaring around the corner.
This worksheet explains what a modifier is, and then it gives examples and practice identifying them. View each sentence and see if you think there is a problem with either a dangling modifier or a misplaced modifer you may use your notes to help. Students then have to pick the correct sentences that do not have misplaced modifiers. Recognize and correct the following kinds of misplacement. When a modifier is misplaced, it becomes difficult to tell which words it describes.
This misplaced modifiers worksheet is suitable for 6th 9th grade. The powerpoint provides several examples for mastery and later for students to identify. Improve your language arts knowledge with free questions in misplaced modifiers with pictures and thousands of other language arts skills. Dangling modifiers are usually introductory word groups such as verbal phrases that suggest but do not name an actor. Desmond, sitting on the top shelf of the refrigerator, saw moms pristine birthday cake c. Determine whether the sentences below contain misplaced or dangling modifiers. For example, in walking to college on a subzero morning, my left ear became frozen, the underlined phrase modifies my left ear. Sitting on the top shelf of the refrigerator, desmond saw moms pristine birthday cake. A dangling modifier is a phrase or clause that is not clearly and logically related to the word or words it modifies i. Use the reference sheet and activity to show middle schoolers how to edit confusing sentences with misplaced modifiers. When a sentence opens with such a modifier, readers expect the following clause to name the actor. Most modifiers are either adjectival these modify nouns or adverbial these modify verbs, adjectives and adverbs. Recognize the following types of dangling modifiers and their corrections. This correcting misplaced and dangling modifiers pdf documents worksheet is suitable for 7th grade.
In english, modifiers are placed immediately before or after the words they describe. In prescriptive grammar, misplaced modifiers are usually regarded as errors. Unlike many other students, the financial aid office did not approve his application. Correcting mistakes exercise 1 dear stephanie how are you. In this lesson plan, adaptable for grades 312, students explore brainpop features and resources to learn about misplaced modifiers, including dangling and squinting modifiers. Wearing a wrinkled skirt, mary got into the police car. When you are finished, hit the check my work button at the bottom of the page to check your answers.
In this show, well explore the world of misplaced prepositional phrases, a kind of misplaced modifier. Misplaced modifiers exercises the vehicle was parked on the front lawn of the starr residence with a slightly flat tire. Exercise c most of the following sentences contain a misplaced or a dangling modifier. Misplaced modifiers worksheet for 6th 9th grade lesson planet. The man was stopped for speeding in the blue sweater. In the blank beside each sentence, indicate whether that sentence contains a dangling modifier dm or a. Dangling modifiers cause the sentence to lack coherence. Choose the sentence in which the modifiers are correctly placed. The singer is the person who forgot the microphone was on. Middle schoolers identify modifiers in sentences and label them as either dangling or misplaced. A dangling modifier is an introductory word groupparticiple, gerund, infinitive, or elliptical clausethat does not refer logically to the noun or pronoun that follows it. The woman was stopped for speeding in the green sweater. Misplaced modifiers english practice learn and practice. Modifiers worksheet 7 common problems and confusing.
This lesson shows the definition of a modifier and a clause, as well as the difference between a misplaced modifier and a dangling modifier. The children attended the public school wearing uniforms. A modifier is a phrase or word meant to describe or explain part of a sentence. Misplaced modifier displaying top 8 worksheets found for misplaced modifier. But again, modifiers can come in the form of phrases and clauses that act like adjectives and.
This presentation is brought to you by grammar bytes. Misplaced modifiers can alter the meaning of a sentence, and take away from a writers intended message. In the second sentence, its clear who was wearing the wrinkled skirt. In addition, it explains how misplaced modifiers can change the meaning of a sentence. Unlike many other students, jim didnt have any problems with his teachers. I will say, remember successful writers know how to recognize dangling and misplaced modifiers by editing their sentences and using examples of incorrect and revised sentences to assist them. Correcting misplaced and dangling modifiers pdf documents. Then they will exchange cartoons with a partner, and identify the intended and unintended meanings. Misplaced modifiers worksheet for 6th 9th grade lesson. Always put a modifier as close as you can to the word the modifier describes. According to laurie kirszner and stephen mandell in the sixth edition of writing first, a modifier is a word or word group that identifies or describes another word or word group in a sentence. Misplaced modifiers worksheet write c if the modifier is correctly placed.
A dangling modifier is a phrase or clause that either modifies no word in the sentence or refers to the wrong word. Then, in the mm sentences, circle the modifier and draw an arrow to show where it should go. A modifier is a word or phrase which limits the meaning of another word. I almost saw the whole movie, but i fell asleep towards the end of it. Watched by nearly a fifth of the worlds population, american astronauts neil armstrong and edwin buzz aldrin landed on the moon on july 20, 1969. Misplaced modifiers introductory project because of misplaced words, each of the sentences below has more than one possible meaning. When modifiers are used incorrectly the meaning of the sentence can change drastically.
Nguyen returned her perfect calculus test with an eartoear grin. No one can shoot anything on this property except the owner. Dangling modifiers clarifying prepositional phrases what to do with a misplaced modifier how to avoid modifier. Misplacedanddanglingmodifiers 5 dangling modifier worksheet directions. While nouns and verbs give the sentence their main structure by telling what the sentence is about and what is happening, modifiers add interest by describing the nouns. A modifier is a phrase or clause that describes something. Editing our writing for dangling modifiers betterlesson. The modifier is in the wrong position relative to what it should be affecting 2. I came in london two weeks ago for to study at a language school. Having learned french in just three months, paul was as happy as he could be. Today guestwriter bonnie trenga is going to help us take a break from serious grammar and instead delve into the world of comedysome intentional, some not. Modifiers describe, specify, or limit the meanings of other words. Avoiding misplaced modifiers is essential to good grammar and concise writing.
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