which sentence in the passage contains a dangling modifier

The revision might look something like this: INCORRECT: After reading the original study, the article remains unconvincing. Specifically, theyre words that modify their sentences meanings. All rights reserved. 3) I suggest that if people want to do well, he should try studying, too. Then decide whether the sentence On ne mange pas tres bien a la cantine _______ ecole! Correct: The trees looked like spooky aliens as Jonas was walking home at night. Tommy also insisted on head bumping the great white sharks that he encountered. Check our our FAQ. The main difference between misplaced modifiers and dangling modifiers is whether the word theyre supposed to describe is in the sentence. A word or phrase that modifies a term that is not explicitly expressed in the sentence is known as a dangling modifier. To raise a good dog, patience is useful. When there is nothing that the word, phrase, or clause can modify, then the modifier is said to dangle. J'adore le marche ___________ Ville! This sentence says that "it" didn't know his name. Remember, modifiers are supposed to appear next to the words they describe, so just move a misplaced modifier before or after the right word. Modifiers are words, phrases, or clauses that describe other words and phrases. La caissiere ___________ supermarche est tres sympa. By employing verbalswords derived from a verbalong with other grammatical elements, an author can craft clauses that function as an adjective, modifying nouns and pronouns. In English sentences, the doer must be the subject of the main clause that follows. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. 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. Arriving late for the movie, Jack quietly took a seat. What are the different kinds of modifiers? Correct highlighted item in the passage below. Consider using more-specific words in your revision. Take a look at these examples to see a variety of ways modifiers operate in sentences: Modifiers are words that modify their sentences meanings by adding details and clarifying facts or by differentiating between people, events, or objects. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. How do you communicate where, when, or how something happened? An adjective phrase can act as a modifier. Living in southern Ontario, her condominium was affected by the recent power shortages. "Having finished" states an action but does not name the doer of that action. For a quick refresher on how to fit these components together to build sentences, read our post on. They frequently include an -ing word (gerund) and to + verb (infinitive) phrase near the start of a sentence. Simple modifiers like only, almost, just, nearly, and barely often get used incorrectly because writers often stick them in the wrong place. Copyright 2022 by The On-Campus Writing Lab& The OWL at Purdueand Purdue University. 1) Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. uses anaphora and connotation in his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. Misplaced modifiers are a major grammar mistake writers should avoid. We returned the wine to the waiter that was sour. Walden University is certified to operate by SCHEV Fundamentally, modifiers' purpose is to make sentences more descriptive or detailed. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice. Modifiers can also be phrases or clauses: Notice in the incorrect sentence it sounds as if her head was too large! A reader will wonder, "Was Dolger using astronavigation? DANGLING AND MISPLACED MODIFIERS Dangling Modifiers are words or phrases that do not have a clear term to modify in a sentence. The second sentence is more descriptive because of the modifiers it contains. a. du b. la c. de la 2. As we mentioned above, modifiers are words that modify their sentences meanings. The local residents often saw Ken wandering through the streets. See Answer. For example, heres how the word only can modify a sentence: Its GO time for generative AI writing assistance, Grammarly helps you communicate confidently. Choisis la preposition et l'article ou la contraction qui convient pour completer chaque phrase. A dog appeared in my dreams that sang like an angel. In the corrected sentence, the subject, John, appears immediately after the modifier phrase. Leaving home for my first apartment, there was a sense of excitement. 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. Twitter These details, depending on how this sentence fits into a larger conversation, could serve as foreshadowing, clarification, distinction between this and another statement, or a means to, The second sentence contains both a modifier and a modifier phrase. Last Edited: 2013-01-07 12:05:23. If the participle or participial phrase comes in the middle of a sentence, it should be set off with commas only if the information is not essential to the meaning of the sentence. Exchange papers with a classmate, and rewrite your classmates sentences to correct any misplaced modifiers. Didn't find what you need? A dangerous and foolhardy activity, Oxford University Press. An adjective phrase can act as a modifier. Henry learned that, aside from writing books, Charles Dickens also travelled and read his stories to eager audiences in his English literature lecture. A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that clarifies or describes another word, phrase, or clause. 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. Did we build a house using bricks? Est-ce qu'il ya une boulangerie __________ centre commercial? Correct: If we want to win the spelling bee this year, Luis and Gerard should join our team. Change the phrase that dangles into a complete introductory clause by naming the doer of the action in that clause: Who didn't know his name? To raise a good dog, patience is useful. When this happens, things can get very confusing! However, when a modifier is separated from the word it describes, it becomes unclear which word its supposed to modify. Confusing: Tyler almost found fifty cents under the sofa cushions. B. 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.. Is it the sister or the car? Often, they can be found at the beginning of sentences, though they can also appear at a sentence's end. Chapter 8: The Writing Process: How Do I Begin? or In this correctly composed sentence, the reader knows that the team captain arrived late and needs a written excuse. How do you specify what somebody looks like? A misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that is separated from the word it describes, creating confusion and ambiguity. The first is Usage and Mechanics (including punctuation, grammar, usage, and sentence structure). How he got in my pajamas, I dont know.Groucho Marx. theyre modifying. 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. Placing the cold cuts on the bread, the lettuce was placed on top. While a modifier is a single word that alters a sentences meaning, a modifier phrase is a, that functions as a modifier. Choose the word that is not related in meaning to the other words. Which sentence corrects the dangling modifier in the sample sentence? We quietly glued together the vase we broke. Of course, the writer is referring to the helmet, not to the persons head. Many readers objected to the newspaper's picture of a young man posed beside a dead whale wearing running shoes and holding a gun. 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. In this sentence, the intended target of the modifier, Jane, is missing. Writing Letters of Recommendation for Students, Comparing Gerunds, Participles, and Infinitives. Divide passage into syllables: pas-sage. Happy that school was over, the students thought the afternoon was quite relaxing. his coat (direct object of action expressed in participle), The participial phrase functions as an adjective modifying cousin. A. Terms Exercises Looking around the aisle of my local drugstore, I was amazed by the varieties of cosmetics that are available today. Passage describes the act of passing or traveling from one place to the next. If either of these errors occurs, readers can no longer read smoothly. My uncle with indigestion had to see a doctor. Participles and participial phrases must be placed as close to the nouns or pronouns they modify as possible, and those nouns or pronouns must be clearly stated. This website collects and publishes the ideas of individuals who have contributed those ideas in their capacities as faculty-mentored student scholars. The sentence "John wants to really do well on this exam" contains which of the following errors? Take a look at these examples: With these sentences, moving the modifier around fixes any clarity challenges: As we mentioned above, modifiers can be single words, phrases, or clauses. The two common types of modifier errors are called misplaced modifiers and dangling modifiers. Popping The incorrect sentence reads as if it is the physician who has stomach pains! a regular human being, Tommy regretted the gift that he had squandered. Rewrite the following paragraph correcting all the misplaced and dangling modifiers. Some of the sentences contain a misplaced or dangling modifier. Infused with his great sadness, A) After walking to school, the bus slowly passed by. When examining Pablo Picasso's art, his paintings often portray people with distorted faces. 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). Spending three hours working at my laptop, I took a break. Misplaced modifiers are closely related to another common grammar mistake, dangling modifiers. Instead, they become stumped trying to figure out what the writer meant to say. See APA 7, Section 4.23 for more explanation and examples. Saying A misplaced modifier is improperly positioned in relation to the word, phrase or clause it is supposed to describe. interested (in) (participle) With the misplaced modifier, the word it describes is there, but in the wrong place. In both cases, you can fix the problem by placing the modifier next to the word or phrase it describes. 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. Because of the separation, sentences with this error often sound awkward, ridiculous, or confusing. YouTube Here, well explain how to avoid and fix misplaced modifiers so you come across as intended whenever you communicate. The good news is that these errors can be easily overcome. 3. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use. Here are the same two sentences with their modifiers in the correct positions: One type of misplaced modifier is known as a dangling modifier. D. All of the above E. None of the above Click the card to flip A. ACT English tests two broad content areas. We are looking for a babysitter for our precious six-year-old who doesnt drink or smoke and owns a car. Often, they can be found at the beginning of sentences, though they can also appear at a sentence's end. A participial phrase consists of a participle plus modifier(s), object(s), and/or complement(s). A writers goal must always be to communicate clearly and to avoid distracting the reader with strange sentences or awkward sentence constructions. 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. Punctuation: When a participial phrase begins a sentence, a comma should be placed after the phrase. 2023 Walden University LLC. Rewrite the following the sentences onto your own sheet of paper to correct the dangling modifiers. Rewrite and paraphrase texts instantly with our AI-powered paraphrasing tool. A modifier provides a concept's definition, clarification, or more information. There are several effective ways to identify and correct misplaced and dangling modifiers. Misplaced and dangling modifiers distract the reader. Misplaced Not sure what a modifier is? By using the commonsense method, determine the meaning of the italicized words below. In this case, purple is the misplaced modifier. She decided to buy the blue vintage Cadillac. REVISED: After reading the original study, I find the article unconvincing. Diving into the waves, Published on In the first sentence, there is no clear indication of who or what is performing the action expressed in the participle carrying. While driving to the veterinarians office, the dog nervously whined. Sometimes writers use modifiers incorrectly, leading to strange and unintentionally humorous sentences. This sentence says that the written excuse arrived late. Garner, B. In grammar, thats a misplaced modifier. While Marinas Combine the phrase and main clause into one: Who wanted to improve results? Which of the following sentences has a misplaced modifier? Watching Disney movies, heroines are always long-legged, ample-breasted beauties. Ecstatic about his new Since the doer of the action expressed in the participle has not been clearly stated, the participial phrase is said to be a dangling modifier. Handouts Rules 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. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use. The second is Rhetorical Skills (including strategy, organization, and style). (2022, October 20). Our food stayed in the bag while it was hot. After finishing the team's presentation at the board meeting, the president complimented us. All rights reserved. She seems logically to be the one doing the action ("having finished"), and this sentence therefore does not have a dangling modifier. Place modifiers near the words they describe; be sure the modified words actually appear in the 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. Which of the following sentences contains a dangling modifier? My studies have been focused on the social sciences, having taken two political science courses and one sociology course. 1) People know that taking tests is hard, but you will get better grades by studying. The misplaced modifier is separated from the word its supposed to describe, so the meaning of the sentence is lost. I ate nothing but a cold bowl of noodles for dinner. 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. without realizing it. This is an example of how dangling modifiers can result in nonsensical sentences. Oxford University Press. 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. I did not think that the clown was funny. This website collects and publishes the ideas of individuals who have contributed those ideas in their capacities as faculty-mentored student scholars. One day Sometimes, modifiers can get lost or misplaced in a sentence. 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. Incorrect: She wore a bicycle helmet on her head that was too large. A dangling modifier (or simply a dangler) is a word, phrase, or clause that describes something that has been left out of the sentence. Modifiers include descriptive words such as adjectives and adverbs: She always listened attentively in class. Here are a few examples: , I watched a squirrel cross the sidewalk. Dangling modifiers arent the only type of misplaced modifier. However, since they function as adjectives, participles modify nouns or pronouns. While looking in the mirror, the towel swayed in the breeze. A misplaced modifier is a modifier that is placed too far from the word or words it modifies. Correct: As Jonas was walking home at night, the trees looked like spooky aliens. made a proposal: She would turn him into a merman with the grace and athleticism 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. a metallic green tail replaced Tommys legs! They can make a sentences meaning clearer, make a sentence more specific, or simply make it more engaging. PowerPoint 2 syllables. Dangling modifiers often appear at the beginning of the sentence as a participle phrase. C. When taking a grammar quiz, concentration is everything. See this page on varying sentence structure for more information. B) The school bus has a morning and afternoon route. There are two simple ways to fix a dangling modifier. The clown at the party was very nice. Try these two tests: Turn your sentences into yes/no questions. Directions: Read the sentence below. in the water. 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. Mr. Fernandez is teaching us about great world leaders. Moving slowly, Bowie stalked the rabbits. A dangling modifier is misplaced because it does not have anything to modify. 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.

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