1. Using Modifiers Keeping All Your Ideas on Track

2. Definitions: Modifier Modifier: A word that provides information about another word in the sentence. The student sitting in the front row is asleep. Modifier: tells which student you are talking about.

3. Definitions: Present Participle modifier Present participle: the –ing form of a verb Walking quickly into the room, the teacher started her lecture. Present participle modifier: shows what teacher was doing

4. Definitions: Past Participle Modifier Past Participle: the past tense form of a verb (often ending in –d or –ed) Frightened by the doctor, the baby began screaming. Past participle modifier: shows how baby felt

5. First Rule for Modifiers Be sure that the modifier points to a word in the sentence. Don’t let your modifier “dangle.” Working hard, my test scores improved quickly. Working hard, I improved my test scores quickly. ? NO YES

6. Second Rule for Modifiers Keep your modifiers as close as possible to the words they are describing. I caught an elephant in my pajamas. (How he got in my pajamas I’ll never know.)

7. Try a few! Written at the last minute, I only got a C- on my essay. Written at the last minute, my essay only got a C-. I gave the computer to my friend that was always breaking down. I gave the computer that was always breaking down to my friend.

8. And one last warning Don’t let your “As” dangle! As a senior counselor, my paperwork is overwhelming. As a senior counselor, I find the paperwork overwhelming. no