1. Warm-Up
Use your context clues, to determine the meaning of this sentence.
It is a great thing to modify your study habits for the better.
What does the word modify mean in this sentence?
(Hint: Think of phrases and clauses)

2. Agenda Stems Mini Lesson on Modifiers
Modifiers Activity (Who, What, When, Where, Why)
Closure Activity

3. Putting Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
Their
Place

5. Misplaced Modifiers
A misplaced modifier is a modifier that is incorrectly separated from the word or words that it describes.
Misplaced modifiers seem to describe words that the author did not intend them to describe.
When modifiers are misplaced, the reader may misunderstand the sentence.
Generally, the solution is to place the modifier as close as possible to the word or words it describes.

6. Misplaced Modifiers Misplaced modifier: Corrected version:
Sam bought a used car from a local dealer with
a smoky tailpipe.
Corrected version:
Sam bought a used car with a smoky tailpipe from
a local dealer.

7. Misplaced Modifiers Misplaced modifier: Corrected version:
The robin built a nest at the back of our house of
grass and string.
Corrected version:
The robin built a nest of grass and string at the back
of our house.

8. Misplaced Modifiers Misplaced modifier: Corrected version:
Christie almost sneezed fifteen times last evening.
Corrected version:
Christie sneezed almost fifteen times last evening.

9. Dangling Modifiers
A modifier that starts a sentence must be followed right away by the word that it describes. Otherwise, the modifier is said to be dangling, and the sentence takes on an unintended meaning.

10. Dangling Modifiers Dangling modifier: Corrected version:
Sitting in the dentist’s chair, the sound of
the drill made Larry sweat.
Corrected version:
As Larry was sitting in the dentist’s chair,
the sound of the drill made him sweat.

11. Dangling Modifiers Dangling modifier: Corrected version:
Sitting in the dentist’s chair, the sound of the
drill made Larry sweat.
Corrected version:
Sitting in the dentist’s chair, Larry sweated at the sound
of the drill.

12. Dangling Modifiers Dangling modifier: Corrected version:
Soaring through the sky, Brenda watched the high-
powered jet.
Corrected version:
Brenda watched the high-powered jet soaring through
the sky.

13. Now for some practice…
Go to the following website for some interactive exercises:
Scroll down to the heading “Structural Flaws” and
do the exercises called “Modifier Placement” and
“Modifier Placement II”.

14. Who, What, When, Where, & Why
Before this activity starts, let practice some pre-reading strategies.
Using the who, what, when, where, and why system, create one question that you can place onto the paper to help us gain understanding about Chapter 11.
-You only have a few minutes-

15. Modifiers Activity
Select one sentence from the text and turn it into a sentence with a misplaced modifier.
You will then share your sentence with a classmate, which they will act out their modifier (if time permits) and write it correctly onto the construction paper.

16. Example Pg. 131
I found out later that Bull Connor had ordered the white army tanks onto the streets of downtown Birmingham. (CORRECT)
I found out later that Bull Connor had ordered the white army tanks of downtown Birmingham onto the streets. –(INCORRECT, but why?)
Modifies Birmingham and not tanks.

17. Closure Activity
On your sticky note, write something that you have learned about modifiers and place your modifiers in the basket to placed outside in the hallway or the classroom.