The powerpoint provides several examples for mastery and later for students to identify. Misplaced or dangling modifiers are words, phrases, or clauses that confuse the. Watch out for the words only, just, merely, nearly, and almost. Modifiers are words, phrases, and clauses that affect and often enhance the meaning of a sentence. Sitting on the top shelf of the refrigerator, desmond saw moms pristine birthday. Misplaced modifiers worksheet for 6th 9th grade lesson planet.
To add the idea of degree to gradable adjectives and adverbs, we use the degree modifiers very, too, much, quite. Misplaced prepositional phrases place modifying words,phrases,and clauses as close as possible to the words they modify. The two common types of modifier errors are called misplaced modifiers and dangling. This pretest is designed to ask you some basic questions so you can evaluate your needs. Sep 08, 2015 but when modifiers arent linked clearly enough to the words theyre actually referring to, they can create unintentional ambiguity. Identifying and avoiding dangling and misplaced modifiers dangling modifiers are words or phrases that do not have a clear term to modify in a sentence. Avoiding misplaced and dangling modifiers t 2000, 1999, 1998, 1998 margaret l. Avoiding modifier problems tip sheets butte college. Our mission is to provide a free, worldclass education to anyone, anywhere. In addition, it explains how misplaced modifiers can change the meaning of a sentence.
Dangling modifiers and how to correct them purdue writing lab. This worksheet explains what a modifier is, and then it gives examples and practice identifying them. The man was stopped for speeding in the blue sweater. Label whether the sentence is a misplaced modifier m, a dangling modifier d or correct.
Place a prepositional phrase used as an adjective or as an adverb near the word it modifies. She seems logically to be the one doing the action having finished, and this sentence therefore does not have a dangling modifier. The children attended the public school wearing uniforms. 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 characteristics. Additional practice in grammar, usage, and mechanics. Choose the correct sentence that does not contain a dangling modifier. In prescriptive grammar, misplaced modifiers are usually regarded as errors. Most modifiers are either adjectival these modify nouns or adverbial these modify verbs, adjectives and adverbs. Adjectives and adverbs are the most common types of modifiers, but there are others. Avoiding misplaced modifiers, dangling modifiers, and. But again, modifiers can come in the form of phrases and clauses that act like adjectives and. Modifiers describe, specify, or limit the meanings of other words. Avoiding misplaceddangling modifiers subject verb agreement pronoun antecedent agreement pronoun reference pronoun case avoiding fragments avoiding comma splices avoiding shifts parallel sentence structure avoiding faulty incomplete comparisons verb tense consistency commonly confused words. Worksheet 5 correcting dangling and misplaced modifiers.
Jul 04, 2015 misplaced modifiers, for example, can create some pretty funny double meanings. Grammargrounds grammar education is a free, comprehensive site with instruction, videos, quizzes, and more. A misplaced modifier is a modifying word, phrase, or clause that does not point clearly and directly to what it is supposed to modify. Adjectives and adverbs are the most common types of modifiers, but. Given the infinite combinations and permutations available in the english language, we have several ways of correcting a misplaced or dangling participle.
Misplaced modifiers are important to be aware of in order to avoid them, and this quiz worksheet will help you test your understanding of their problems and characteristics. Choose the sentence in which the modifiers are correctly placed. Then they will exchange cartoons with a partner, and identify the intended and unintended meanings. Having finished states an action but does not name the doer of that action. But when modifiers arent linked clearly enough to the words theyre actually referring to, they can create unintentional ambiguity. Misplaced modifier a misplaced modifier is a word or group of words that does not link clearly to what it is intended to modify. The english teacher looking for tools, the student looking for some extra help, or the new english speaker hoping to master the language will find what he or she is looking for here. I almost saw the whole movie, but i fell asleep around midnight.
Brainpop educators is proudly powered by wordpress and piklist. Using what they learn, students will create misplaced modifier cartoons. Once seated by a hostess, menus would be given to the guests. This lesson shows the definition of a modifier and a clause, as well as the difference between a misplaced modifier and a dangling modifier. Learn how to correct misplaced and dangling modifiers. Identifying and avoiding dangling and misplaced modifiers. Worksheets relating to misplaced and dangling modifiers. Avoiding misplaced modifiers is essential to good grammar and concise writing. Misplaced modifiers are words, phrases, or clauses that are separated from the word they modify. Avoiding misplaced dangling modifiers subject verb agreement pronoun antecedent agreement pronoun reference pronoun case avoiding fragments avoiding comma splices avoiding shifts parallel sentence structure avoiding faulty incomplete comparisons verb tense consistency commonly confused words.
This is avoiding misplaced modifiers, dangling modifiers, and split infinitives, section 15. Easy examples of misplaced modifiers in these examples, the misplaced modifiers are shaded. Misplacedanddanglingmodifiers 5 dangling modifier worksheet directions. Dangling modifiers a modifier that starts a sentence must be followed right away by the word that it describes. In order to write clear, effective sentences, you need to avoid the following types. Often, they can be found at the beginning of sentences, though they can also appear at a sentences end. A misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that doesnt clearly relate to the word or phrase it is intended to modify. How do we correct a misplaced or dangling participle. I have some candy in my desk drawer that my mom made. Having misunderstood the assignment, i received a low grade on.
Dangling modifiers are words or phrases that do not have a clear term to modify in a sentence. When modifiers adjectives and adverbs are out of place, too far away from the word they modify, the sentence will be awkward or confusing. Christie almost sneezed fifteen times last evening. Writing exercises for law students university of new. Pdf learning proper grammar and usage rules for the english language can. Dangling and misplaced modifiers linkedin slideshare. Modifiers should be placed as close as possible to the word or words they describe in order to avoid confusion. Misplaced modifiers worksheet write c if the modifier is correctly placed. Then, in the mm sentences, circle the modifier and draw an arrow to show where it should go. Use the reference sheet and activity to show middle schoolers how to edit confusing sentences with misplaced modifiers.
We can limit the applicability of this phrase by introducing various modifiers into it. To avoid misplaced modifiers, place words as close as possible to what they describe. Misplaced modifiers are modifiers that need to be moved elsewhere in the sentence to avoid possible confusion. Improve your language arts knowledge with free questions in misplaced modifiers with pictures and thousands of other language arts skills. Misplaced modifiers modifiers are misplaced if they modify words that they are not intended to modify or if their placement conveys an unintended meaning. Read each pair of sentences and choose the one that does not. This lesson offers games and activities to get your students excited to learn about misplaced and dangling modifiers. Check your answers with the interactive version of the exercise. Misplaced and dangling modifiers towson university. A modifier is a word or phrase which limits the meaning of another word. Avoiding misplaced modifiers, dangling modifiers, and split. Modifiers offer detail that can make a sentence more engaging, clearer, or specific. Punctuation, misplaced and dangling phrases and distant verbs revise these sentences to deal appropriately with misplaced or dangling modifiers, sentence fragments, comma splices, verbs that are postponed to the end of the sentence, and verbs that are too distant from their subject. Clipping is a handy way to collect important slides you want to go back to later.
Now customize the name of a clipboard to store your clips. Sisters reunited after 18 years in checkout counter miners refuse to work after death. Misplaced modifiers learn and practice english online. B efore you begin the lessons in this book,it is a good idea to see how much you already know about proofreading,revising,and editing and what you need to learn.
A dangling modifier fails to refer logically to any word in the sentence. This misplaced modifiers worksheet is suitable for 6th 9th grade. One sentence of each pair contains a dangling modifier. Drooling in anticipation of the treat, gizmo waited for sylvia to reward him with. In each case, see if you can explain both the intended meaning and the unintended meaning. Riding in a swiftly moving vehicle, the landscape becomes blurred. Misplacement of adverbs can sometimes change the meaning of a sentence. Click the link below to download the free pdf worksheet. Worksheet 10 avoiding problems in agreement of pronoun. Christie sneezed almost fifteen times last evening. Draw a line under the dangling modifier in each of the following sentences. Refer to discovery, 320324, for additional practice. She seems logically to be the one doing the action having finished, and this. Drooling in anticipation of the treat, sylvia rewarded gizmo with a dog cookie.
Rearrange the sentence so that it begins with the word being modified or change the modifier to a subordinate clause with a subject and a verb. Misplaced modifiers may be single words, phrases, or clauses. Exercises provide students with the opportunity of correcting dangling modifiers by rewriting the sentences. How misused modifiers can hurt your writing emma bryce. Usatestprep has helped more than 2 million students master state standards with k12 standardsaligned resources. In this paper, the meaning of dangling modifiers is being discussed.
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. Some adjectives and adverbs express qualities which are gradable. Without modifiers, you could never say that a pretty girl took home a happy dog or. Mark lester and larry beason point out that misplaced modifiers do not make sentences ungrammatical.
Students then have to pick the correct sentences that do not have misplaced modifiers. In english sentences, the doer must be the subject of the main clause that follows. The result of misplaced modifiers can be confusing or comedicin fact, comedians take. July 18, 2016 complete the following sentences using appropriate words or phrases. Drooling in anticipation of the treat, gizmo waited for sylvia to reward him with a dog cookie. The only difference in the following two sentences is the placement of the modifier only, but these sentences have different meanings. There are several hilarious newspaper headlines that perfectly illustrate this. Misplaced modifiers may be single words, phrases, or. In this lesson plan, adaptable for grades 312, students explore brainpop features and resources to learn about misplaced modifiers, including dangling and squinting modifiers. Misplaced modifiers, for example, can create some pretty funny double meanings. A misplaced modifier makes the meaning of a sentence ambiguous or wrong.
Misplaced modifiers can alter the meaning of a sentence, and take away from a writers intended message. Careful writers always seek to avoid the lack of clarity that a dangling modifier causes. Emma bryce navigates the sticky world of misplaced. Modifiers are wordsadjectives, adverbs, prepositional phrases, clausesthat explain, expand, and enrich sentences. Driving up the rockstrewn mountain, the tire went flat.
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. Recognize and correct the following kinds of misplacement. Misplaced modifiers worksheet for 6th 9th grade lesson. Get a good laugh with misplaced modifiers bka content. First, identify the misplaced or dangling modifier.
A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that clarifies or describes another word, phrase, or clause. They are like dangling modifiers in that they attach themselves to an illogical subject technically speaking but are different in that they are not always found in opening clauses. A misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that is improperly separated from the word it modifies describes. Turn the misplaced or dangling participle into a dependent. The simplest form of a modifier would be an adjective or adverb. Following the powerpoint, groups will use the printable worksheets to determine which sentences contain misplaced dangling modifiers. Misplaced modifiers a misplaced modifier is a word or phrase incorrectly separated from the word it modifies. To become a good photographer, the camera must be used carefully. A misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that is improperly separated from the word or clause it. Sometimes writers use modifiers incorrectly, leading to strange and unintentionally humorous sentences.