1. Easily Confused Words Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers
English B60
Easily Confused Words
Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers

2. Easily Confused Words
There are many words in the English language that sound the same but are spelled differently.
These are called homophones.
These words cannot be used interchangeably. Thus, students struggle with which to use when.

3. A vs An When should you use “a”?
Before a word that begins with a consonant.
A basketball
When should you use “an”?
Before a word that begins with a vowel.
An apple

4. Affect vs Effect When should you use “affect”?
Affect is a verb. It means to change or influence something or someone.
All quizzes will affect the final grade.
When should you use “effect”?
Effect is a noun. It is a result.
The strong coffee had a powerful effect on him.

5. Are vs Our When should you use “are”?
Are is a present form of the verb “to be.”
We are going to Disneyland.
When should you use “our”?
Our is a plural pronoun
We painted our fence to match the house.

6. Do vs Due When should you use “do”? Do is a verb.
I do most of my homework on the weekends.
When should you use “due”?
Due can mean a scheduled time, or it an come before “to” in a phrase that means because of.
The assignment is due on Tuesday.
The game was cancelled due to rain.

7. Its vs It’s When do you use “its”? Its is a possessive pronoun
The jury made its decision.
When do you use “it’s”?
It’s is the contraction for “it is”
It’s hot today.

8. Passed vs Past When do you use “passed”?
Passed is the past tense of the verb “to pass.”
Julia passed her math test.
When do you use “past”?
Past can mean by or a time before the present.
I drove past your house last night.
In the past, I worked at a movie theater.

9. Than vs Then When should you use “than”? Than is a comparison word.
I am taller than my sister.
When should you use “then”?
Then tells when.
I always write a rough draft first; then, I revise it.

10. Threw vs Through When should you use “threw”?
Threw is the past tense of “to throw.”
We threw snowballs at each other.
When should you use “through”?
If you don’t mean to throw something, use “through”
They worked through their differences.
Note: Thru is not a properly spelled word and should not appear in your essays.

11. Their/They’re/There When should you use “their”?
There is a possessive pronoun
They read their essays out loud.
When should you use “they’re”?
They’re is the contraction for “they are”
They’re living in Canada now.
When should you use “there”?
There is a place word.
His lunch pail is over there.

12. To/too/two When should you use “too”?
Too means also. It can also indicate degree.
I am enrolled in a philosophy class, too.
That burrito is too hot to eat.
When should you use “two”?
Two refers to the number (2)
I have two cats: Sam and Dean.
When should you use “to”?
To can be part of an infinitive verb or a preposition.
I like to sing.
I am going to the beach.

13. Were/wear/where When should you use “were”?
Were is the past tense of the verb “to be”
We were students last year.
When should you use “wear”?
Wear is a verb. It usually refers to clothes.
I always wear a scarf in the winter.
When should you use “where”?
Where is a place.
Where is the restaurant?

14. Whether vs weather When should you use “whether”? Whether means “if”
I don’t know whether to call him or not.
When should you use “weather”?
Weather is the conditions of the atmosphere.
Rainy weather makes me feel sad.

15. Who’s vs Whose When should you use “who’s”?
Who’s is a contraction for “who is”
Who’s responsible for this?
When should you use “whose”?
Whose is a possessive pronoun.
Whose keys are these?

16. You’re vs Your When should you use “you’re”?
You’re is a contraction for “you are”
You’re going to be sorry for this.
When should you use “your”?
Your is a possessive pronoun.
Is that your book?

17. Practice
In small groups, do Exercise 5 on page 25 of LYSK. Record your answers on a single sheet of paper with all your group members’ names.

18. Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers
Modifying means describing or adding additional information about.
To do its job properly, a modifier must be in the right spot: as close to what it is modifying as possible.
Dangling modifiers are present in sentences where who or what they are modifying is missing.
The train pulled into the station after a two hour nap.
Who took a two hour nap?
The train pulled into the station after I took a two hour nap.
Misplaced modifiers are too far from what they are modifying in the sentence.
I chased the dog wearing my underwear.
Who is wearing the underwear?
While I was in my underwear, I chased the dog.

19. Practice Correct the following misplaced and dangling modifiers.
I noticed an iPad on the ground walking to my car.
I called the doctor on the roof.
Faded from sunlight, students couldn’t read the bulletin board anymore.
Sitting on a bench all day, an idea came to her.
He always brings a calculator to school in his backpack.
We had to write a paragraph about the weather in our notebooks.