Mastering Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

In this session of Write Right, Jess discusses common writing errors: misplaced and dangling modifiers. Modifiers are words or phrases that describe or clarify a concept. Misplaced modifiers are awkwardly placed, causing confusion about what they describe. Examples include phrases like 'when thick and greasy' and 'nearly ate.' Dangling modifiers lack a clear subject, often found at the beginning of sentences, such as 'Raised in Texas.' Solutions include repositioning modifiers or clarifying the subject. The session concludes with strategies to correct these errors.

What is a modifier in writing?

• A punctuation mark

• A type of conjunction

• A word or phrase that adds detail to a concept

• A grammatical error

What does the modifier 'quickly' in the sentence 'He quickly ran to the store' describe?

• The time it took

• The person he met

• The speed of running

• The store

Which example shows a misplaced modifier?

• "He nearly ate the entire box of cookies."

• "The elephant herd looked magnificent as we flew over the African landscape."

• "We ate the pizza covered with hot melted cheese."

• "Raised in Texas, I naturally like barbeque."

What is the effect of a misplaced modifier in a sentence?

• It clarifies the sentence meaning

• It has no effect on the sentence

• It enhances the sentence structure

• It makes the sentence meaning ambiguous

How can misplaced modifiers be corrected?

• By changing the tense of the sentence

• By adding more modifiers

• By placing the modifier closer to the word it describes

• By removing the modifier

In the corrected sentence 'The hunter crouched behind a tree with a bow and arrow waiting for a bear to come along,' what does the phrase 'with a bow and arrow' modify?

• The tree

• The bear

• The hunter

• The phrase does not modify anything

What defines a dangling modifier?

• A modifier that is correctly placed

• A modifier placed at the end of a sentence

• A modifier used excessively

• A modifier that does not clearly state what it modifies

Which sentence is an example of a dangling modifier?

• "Although nearly finished, we left the movie early because our mom called."

• "My aunt loves thick and greasy pizza rolls."

• "He ate nearly the entire box of cookies."

• "We ate the pizza covered with hot melted cheese."

How can you correct a dangling modifier?

• By adding an appropriate subject

• By removing the modifier completely

• By converting the sentence into a question

• By repeating the modifier

Which strategy is NOT used to fix a dangling modifier?

• Naming the logical doer of the action

• Changing the voice from active to passive

• Combining the dangling phrase with the main clause

• Adding a new modifier