1. Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
Students will be able to recognize and correct misplaced and dangling modifiers.

3. What is a modifier?
A modifier changes, clarifies, or limits a particular word in a sentence in order to add emphasis, explanation, or detail.
Modifiers tend to be descriptive words, such as adjectives and adverbs.
Modifier phrases, such as adjective clauses and adverbial phrases, also exist and tend to describe adjectives and adverbs.
Ex.: In “a red hat,” the adjective “red” is a modifier describing the noun “hat.” In “They were talking loudly,” the adverb “loudly” is a modifier of the verb “talking”.

4. Pick Out the Modifiers He is a cute baby.
The boy riding up and down the street is tired.
The photographer captured the eagle soaring over the clouds.
The generous celebrity gifted everyone with brand new red Corvettes.
Shouting from the kitchen table, Beyoncé let the frightened Kim Kardashian know she had overstayed her welcome.

5. Pick Out the Modifiers He is a cute baby.
The boy riding up and down the street is tired.
The photographer captured the eagle soaring over the clouds.
The generous celebrity gifted everyone with brand new red Corvettes.
Shouting from the kitchen table, Beyoncé let the frightened Kim Kardashian know she had overstayed her welcome.

6. Misplaced Modifiers
A misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that is awkwardly placed in the sentence so that it does not describe what the writer wanted it to describe.
In other words, a misplaced modifier is placed so that it does not modify what it was intended to modify.

7. For Example:
Misplaced Modifier: Jeff bought an old jeep from a crooked dealer with a faulty transmission.
Who was crooked? The dealer or the jeep?
Who had a faulty transmission? The dealer or the jeep?
Beware the Crooked Man!

8. Incorrect Modifier: Jeff bought an old jeep from a crooked dealer with a faulty transmission.
To avoid this problem, place the modifier as close as possible to the word it modifies.
Correct Modifier: Jeff bought an old jeep with a faulty transmission from a crooked dealer.
“with a faulty transmission” modifies jeep, and “crooked” modifies dealer

9. Let’s Practice!
Determine whether the given sentence is correct or if it contains misplaced modifiers ***Remember: modifiers add detail to a word or phrase, and should be placed as closely as possible to the word it modifies

10. Scampering around the top of the jungle gym, Marktavia noticed a baby squirrel.

11. Scampering around the top of the jungle gym, Marktavia noticed a baby squirrel.
INCORRECT; the phrase “scampering around the top of the jungle gym” modifies Marktavia when it should be modifying the squirrel

12. I noticed the park walking home from school.

13. I noticed the park walking home from school.
INCORRECT; the phrase “walking home from school” modifies the park, not the speaker– parks can’t walk!

14. With a grin, Carlos won the bet against Donovan.

15. With a grin, Carlos won the bet against Donovan.
CORRECT; the phrase “with a grin” modifies Carlos, not the bet

16. Barking furiously, Raymond chased little dogs down the street.

17. Barking furiously, Raymond chased little dogs down the street.
INCORRECT; the phrase “barking furiously” modifies Raymond, it should be modifying the little dogs

18. Dangling Modifiers
A modifying phrase or clause is said to dangle when it has no stated word to describe. There is usually a missing or unstated word that is being modified.
Be careful: A dangling modifier is sometimes difficult to identify because our brains supply the missing word.

19. Dangling Modifier: While smoking a pipe, my cat curled up next to me.
This makes it seem like the CAT is smoking a pipe.
To correct a dangling modifier, you must rewrite the sentence and supply the word that is to be modified.
Whiskers, No!!!

20. Dangling Modifier: While smoking a pipe, my cat curled up next to me.
To correct it, we may have to add a subject or supply a few extra words
Corrected: While I was smoking my pipe, my cat curled up next to me. OR While smoking a pipe, I allowed my cat to curl up next to me.

21. Fix Those Danglers!
Determine whether the given sentence is correct or if it contains dangling modifiers
If it is incorrect, add a word or phrase to correct it
***Remember, dangling modifiers seem logically to modify no word at all. To correct a sentence, it’s up to you to supply a word or phrase to make sense of the sentence.

22. Sleeping soundly, the alarm startled me awake.

23. Sleeping soundly, the alarm startled me awake.
INCORRECT; it is unclear who was sleeping—the alarm? A ghost? Who knows?!

24. Sleeping soundly, the alarm startled me awake.
INCORRECT; it is unclear who was sleeping—the alarm? A ghost? Who knows?!
CORRECTION: Sleeping soundly, I was startled by the alarm.

25. Working all night long, the fire was extinguished.

26. Working all night long, the fire was extinguished.
INCORRECT; it is unclear who was working all night.

27. Working all night long, the fire was extinguished.
INCORRECT; it is unclear who was working all night.
CORRECTION: Working all night long, the fire fighters extinguished the fire.

28. After taking a shower, Mr. Mittens noticed the sun coming out.

29. After taking a shower, Mr. Mittens noticed the sun coming out.
CORRECT; It is clear and logical that Mr. Mittens took a shower and noticed the sun

30. Climbing the mountain, a rock hit Natalia’s head.

31. Climbing the mountain, a rock hit Natalia’s head.
INCORRECT; who was climbing the mountain? The rock? Natalia?

32. Climbing the mountain, a rock hit Natalia’s head.
INCORRECT; who was climbing the mountain? The rock? Natalia?
CORRECTION: When Natalia was climbing the mountain, a rock hit her head OR Climbing the mountain, Natalia was hit on the head by a rock.

33. At the age of 22, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was the show he starred in.

34. At the age of 22, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was the show he starred in.
INCORRECT; it is unclear who the modifier is describing.

35. At the age of 22, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was the show he starred in.
INCORRECT; it is unclear who the modifier is describing.
CORRECTION: At the age of 22, Will Smith starred in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

36. Let’s put it all together!
Choose the option that has no misplaced or dangling modifier.
We’ll do the first one together.
***Remember: modifiers should be near the word they modify and should fit logically into the sentence!

37. Broken and dusty, Clarence found an old computer in the garage.
Broken and dusty, the garage had an old computer that was found by Clarence.
In the garage, Clarence found an old computer that was broken and dusty.

38. Broken and dusty, Clarence found an old computer in the garage.
Broken and dusty, the garage had an old computer that was found by Clarence.
In the garage, Clarence found an old computer that was broken and dusty.
C is correct; the computer — not Clarence, not the garage — is broken and dusty.

39. Sitting on the top shelf of the refrigerator, Desmond saw Mom’s pristine birthday cake.
Desmond, sitting on the top shelf of the refrigerator, saw Mom’s pristine birthday cake
Sitting on the top shelf of the refrigerator, Mom’s pristine birthday cake caught Desmond’s attention.

40. Sitting on the top shelf of the refrigerator, Desmond saw Mom’s pristine birthday cake.
Desmond, sitting on the top shelf of the refrigerator, saw Mom’s pristine birthday cake
Sitting on the top shelf of the refrigerator, Mom’s pristine birthday cake caught Desmond’s attention.

41. Loudly slurping the bowl of hot soup, Derrick’s impolite behavior annoyed the other diner patrons.
As Derrick loudly slurped the bowl of hot soup, his impolite behavior annoyed the other diner patrons.
Loudly slurping the hot soup, the other diner patrons were annoyed by Derrick’s impolite behavior.

42. Loudly slurping the bowl of hot soup, Derrick’s impolite behavior annoyed the other diner patrons.
As Derrick loudly slurped the bowl of hot soup, his impolite behavior annoyed the other diner patrons.
Loudly slurping the hot soup, the other diner patrons were annoyed by Derrick’s impolite behavior.

43. Seated by the window, Barbara munched popcorn on the long bus ride home.
Seated by the window, popcorn was munched by Barbara on the long bus ride home.
Barbara munched popcorn seated by the window on the long bus ride home.

44. Seated by the window, Barbara munched popcorn on the long bus ride home.
Seated by the window, popcorn was munched by Barbara on the long bus ride home.
Barbara munched popcorn seated by the window on the long bus ride home.

45. Twisting in the strong wind, we knew the hurricane was close as we watched the trees.
We knew the hurricane was close as we watched the trees twisting in the strong wind.
We knew the hurricane was close, twisting in the wind, as we watched the trees.

46. Twisting in the strong wind, we knew the hurricane was close as we watched the trees.
We knew the hurricane was close as we watched the trees twisting in the strong wind.
We knew the hurricane was close, twisting in the wind, as we watched the trees.

47. Applying red toenail paint, Will asked Rhonda if she could interrupt her beauty regimen to go to the mall.
Will asked Rhonda, who was applying red toenail paint, if she could interrupt her beauty regimen to go to the mall.
Will asked if Rhonda could interrupt her beauty regimen to go to the mall, which was applying red toenail paint.

48. Applying red toenail paint, Will asked Rhonda if she could interrupt her beauty regimen to go to the mall.
Will asked Rhonda, who was applying red toenail paint, if she could interrupt her beauty regimen to go to the mall.
Will asked if Rhonda could interrupt her beauty regimen to go to the mall, which was applying red toenail paint.

49. Struggling with the algebra problem, the pencil tapped nervously on Kenneth’s desk.
Struggling with the algebra problem, Kenneth’s desk was tapped nervously with the pencil.
Struggling with the algebra problem, Kenneth nervously tapped his pencil on the desk.

50. Struggling with the algebra problem, the pencil tapped nervously on Kenneth’s desk.
Struggling with the algebra problem, Kenneth’s desk was tapped nervously with the pencil.
Struggling with the algebra problem, Kenneth nervously tapped his pencil on the desk.

51. Marking his score sheet with care, the hope this week was that Byron would pass his vocabulary quiz.
Marking his score sheet with care, Byron hoped that this week he would pass his vocabulary quiz.
Hoping that this week he would pass his vocabulary quiz, the score sheet was marked carefully by Byron.

52. Marking his score sheet with care, the hope this week was that Byron would pass his vocabulary quiz.
Marking his score sheet with care, Byron hoped that this week he would pass his vocabulary quiz.
Hoping that this week he would pass his vocabulary quiz, the score sheet was marked carefully by Byron.

53. Splashing in the puddles left by the thunderstorm, Jamie cooled her hot feet.
Splashing in the puddles left by the thunderstorm, the cool water refreshed Jamie’s hot feet.
Splashing in the puddles, the thunderstorm cooled Jamie’s hot feet.

54. Splashing in the puddles left by the thunderstorm, Jamie cooled her hot feet.
Splashing in the puddles left by the thunderstorm, the cool water refreshed Jamie’s hot feet.
Splashing in the puddles, the thunderstorm cooled Jamie’s hot feet.

55. Huddled by the door, the rain made the wet kitten cry to come in.
Crying to come in, the door is where the wet kitten huddled during the rain.
Huddled by the door, the wet kitten cried to come in from the rain.

56. Huddled by the door, the rain made the wet kitten cry to come in.
Crying to come in, the door is where the wet kitten huddled during the rain.
Huddled by the door, the wet kitten cried to come in from the rain.