What is a misplaced modifier? How to fix misplaced modifiers One-word modifiers Phrase modifiers Clause modifiers Review A Review B Correcting Misplaced Modifiers

In each place nearly modifies a different word. The placement of one little word does matter. Most of the skaters fell, but not quite all of them. What is a misplaced modifier? all of the skaters fell. Notice how the meaning of the sentence changes when nearly is moved from one place to another. Every one of the skaters came close to falling. Nearly All of the skatersfell. nearly

Verb Adverb phrase A word, phrase, or clause that seems to modify the wrong word or word group in a sentence is called a misplaced modifier. What is a misplaced modifier? Misplaced modifiers are confusing. Did Anna say this after dinner? Is she going to do the dishes after dinner? Anna said after dinner she would do the dishes.

Does Van carve his friends? Noun Adjective clause A misplaced modifier can be funny too. What is a misplaced modifier? Van gives the sculptures to his friends that he carves. Common sense tells us that he carves sculptures, not his friends. But the noun friends is right before the adjective clause, so it sounds as though he carves his friends.

A misplaced modifier can be a one-word adjective or adverb, a phrase, or a clause.adjectiveadverbphraseclause Adjective phrase Adjective clause Adverb What is a misplaced modifier? Loudly, Kendra jumped when the door slammed. We are used to the noise living by the airport. The picnic in the park that we had was fun. OR

An adjective tells what kind, which one, or how many. What is a misplaced modifier? Adjective What kind? car Which one?snake How many?apples old car three apples this snake

An adverb tells where, when, how, or to what extent (how much, how long, or how often). What is a misplaced modifier? Adverb How? Where? She swims there. She swims early. She swims fast. She often swims. When? To what extent?

A phrase is a group of related words that is used as a single part of speech does not contain both a verb and its subject to sing a melody What is a misplaced modifier? Phrase laughing at her joke across the street dressed formally was hiding through the meadow

before the sun went down. A clause is a word group that contains a verb and its subject. What is a misplaced modifier? Clause verbsubjectverbsubject verb subject verb subject Mom built a fire We often cook fishthat Cory catches. clause

1.Pacing in its cage, I watched the lion. 2.The dog barked at the mail carrier that was running loose in the yard. 3.Our teacher said on Monday the class would put on a play. Identify the misplaced modifier in each of the following sentences. What is a misplaced modifier?

Was I pacing in the lion’s cage, or was the lion the one doing the pacing? What is a misplaced modifier? Identify the misplaced modifier in each of the following sentences. 1.Pacing in its cage, I watched the lion.

2.The dog barked at the mail carrier that was running loose in the yard. Was the mail carrier running loose in the yard, or was the dog running loose? What is a misplaced modifier? Identify the misplaced modifier in each of the following sentences.

3.Our teacher said on Monday the class would put on a play. Did the teacher make the statement on Monday, or is the class going to put on the play on Monday? What is a misplaced modifier? Identify the misplaced modifier in each of the following sentences.

On Your Own [End of Section] What is a misplaced modifier? Determine whether the underlined word or phrase is a misplaced modifier. Write M for a misplaced modifier, or C if the modifier is not misplaced. ___ 1.The jogger twisted her ankle with the orange water bottle. ___ 2.Those note cards that I gave you are handmade. ___ 3.Running in the wheel, I watched the hamster. ___ 4.My cousin gave me a cat who goes to college in Arizona.

Determine whether the underlined word or phrase is a misplaced modifier. Write M for a misplaced modifier, or C if the modifier is not misplaced. ___ 1.The jogger twisted her ankle with the orange water bottle. ___ 2.Those note cards that I gave you are handmade. ___ 3.Running in the wheel, I watched the hamster. ___ 4.My cousin gave me a cat who goes to college in Arizona. Answers What is a misplaced modifier? M C M M

in the tank. Place modifying words, phrases, and clauses as near as possible to the words they modify. How to fix misplaced modifiers Where should these two phrases be placed in this sentence? Devon watched the fishin the tank Devon watched the fishSitting quietly, Who was sitting quietly? Devon was. What was in the tank? The fish were. sitting quietly.

She borrowed them for the weekend, not for any other time. Be especially careful to place these modifiers right before the word they modify, so that your meaning is clear. How to fix misplaced modifiers One-word modifiers almostevenhardlyjust merelynearlynotonly Jackie borrowed some books only for the weekend. Only Jackie borrowed some books for the weekend. Jackie—and no one else— borrowed some books. = =

When a sentence contains more than one modifying phrase, follow these steps to make sure none of them are misplaced. How to fix misplaced modifiers Phrase modifiers Step 1: Find the basic sentence. Sara studied the statue with a serious look made of metal. Sara studied the statue.

How to fix misplaced modifiers Phrase modifiers Phrase 1: Sara studied the statue. with a serious look This phrase should modify Sara. Step 2: One at a time, insert the phrases near the word or words they modify. With a serious look,

With a serious look, Sara studied the statue made of metal. How to fix misplaced modifiers Phrase modifiers Step 2: One at a time, insert the phrases near the word or words they modify. Phrase 2:made of metal This phrase should modify sculpture.

Step 1: Decide which word or word group the clause should be modifying. Adjective clause There is a dog on our porch that has a red collar. Adjective clause When a modifying clause seems to be misplaced, follow these steps to fix the sentence. How to fix misplaced modifiers Clause modifiers There is a dog on our porch that has a red collar. OR Does the porch or the dog have a red collar? The dog does.

Step 2: Decide if a phrase or another clause is coming between the clause and the word it should be modifying. Prep. phrase How to fix misplaced modifiers Clause modifiers The prepositional phrase separates the adjective clause from the noun it modifies, dog. Adjective clause There is a dog on our porch that has a red collar.on our porch

On our porch Adjective clause How to fix misplaced modifiers Clause modifiers Step 3: Decide where to move the phrase or clause that is causing the confusion. there is a dog that has a red collar. Moving the phrase to the beginning of the sentence eliminates the confusion. Now, the clause is next to word it modifies. Prep. phrase Adjective clause There is a dog on our porch that has a red collar.on our porch

Check your punctuation when you move a clause or a phrase. An introductory clause or phrase should usually be followed by a comma. How to fix misplaced modifiers Clause modifiers As we arrived, the lights went down. Munching on popcorn, we enjoyed the movie.

1.In the frying pan Beth seasoned the fish. 2.Toby saw a large lizard hiking with his friends. 3.Mia gave the poem to her friend that she had written. How to fix misplaced modifiers Revise each sentence to correct the underlined misplaced modifier. Be prepared to explain your answer.

Beth seasoned the fish in the frying pan. 1.In the frying pan Beth seasoned the fish. How to fix misplaced modifiers Beth is not in the frying pan; the fish are. Revise each sentence to correct the underlined misplaced modifier. Be prepared to explain your answer. OR

Hiking with his friends, Toby saw a large lizard. 2.Toby saw a large lizard hiking with his friends. How to fix misplaced modifiers Toby—not the large lizard—was hiking with his friends. Revise each sentence to correct the underlined misplaced modifier. Be prepared to explain your answer. OR

3.Mia gave the poem that she had written to her friend. 3.Mia gave the poem to her friend that she had written. How to fix misplaced modifiers Mia didn’t write her friend; she wrote the poem. Revise each sentence to correct the underlined misplaced modifier. Be prepared to explain your answer. OR

[End of Section] How to fix misplaced modifiers On Your Own Revise each sentence to correct the misplaced modifier. 1.The parrot spoke to the little boy in the brass cage. 2.Paved with fresh asphalt, I noticed the new bike paths. 3.I saw a dog chasing a ball through the dining room window. 4.She noticed a spider near the bush that had a red spot on its back.

Revise each sentence to correct the misplaced modifier. 1.The parrot spoke to the little boy in the brass cage. 2.Painted with white diamonds, I noticed the new bike paths. 3.I saw a dog chasing a ball through the dining room window. 4.She noticed a spider near the bush that had a red spot on its back. 3.Through the dining room window, I saw a dog chasing a ball. How to fix misplaced modifiers Answers 1.The parrot in the brass cage spoke to the little boy. 4.Near the bush she noticed a spider that had a red spot on its back. 2.I noticed the new bike paths paved with fresh asphalt.

[End of Section] Identify and correct the misplaced modifier in each sentence. 1.Made of silver, I gave a bracelet to my friend. 3.Those tapes came from the library that you heard. 4.Jumping, I saw the gazelles. 5.The fruit was marked for quick sale bruised by the storm. Review A 2.Arthur borrowed a mountain bike from his uncle with eighteen speeds.

1.Made of silver, I gave a bracelet to my friend. 2.Arthur borrowed a mountain bike from his uncle with eighteen speeds. 3.Those tapes came from the library that you heard. 5.The fruit was marked for quick sale bruised by the storm. Review A Identify and correct the misplaced modifier in each sentence. 1.I gave a bracelet made of silver to my friend. 2.Arthur borrowed a mountain bike with eighteen speeds from his uncle. 3.Those tapes that you heard came from the library. 5.The fruit bruised by the storm was marked for quick sale. 4.Jumping, I saw the gazelles. 4.I saw the gazelles jumping.

4.The girl is from my class who won the award. [End of Section] Revise each sentence to correct the misplaced modifier. Review B 1.Tired, the route home seemed long to the boy. 2.We could see the wheat growing from our back windows. 3.My oldest brother just graduated from college, who lives in Maine. 5.Jan has only finished one of her papers.

4.The girl is from my class who won the award. Revise each sentence to correct the misplaced modifier. 1.Tired, the route home seemed long to the boy. 2.We could see the wheat growing from our back windows. 3.My oldest brother just graduated from college, who lives in Maine. 5.Jan has only finished one of her papers. Review B 4.The girl who won the award is from my class. 1.The route home seemed long to the tired boy. 2.From our back windows, we could see the wheat growing. 3.My oldest brother, who lives in Maine, just graduated from college. 5.Jan has finished only one of her papers.

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