which sentence in the passage contains a dangling modifier

Rei R. Noguchi, in his book Grammar and the Teaching of Writing, recommends two methods for testing your sentences. 1. Example While driving to work, Jane witnessed a car accident on the highway. After identifying the dangling modifier, rewrite the sentence. Infused with his great sadness, Confusing: Tyler almost found fifty cents under the sofa cushions. Modifiers should appear next to the words they describe. A participial phrase or clause is a wonderful tool for writers because it gives color and action to a sentence. Divide passage into syllables: pas-sage. Dangling modifiers make unclear the meaning of a sentence. REVISED: Relieved of your responsibilities at your job, you should be able to relax at home. or Usually, this means right before or after the noun: This is also true when theyre modifying a, When a modifier isnt in this position, it can make the sentence confusing for a reader or listener. Thats because their modifiers arent actually modifying any nouns. (2022, October 20). B. Removing (participle) hair, which became dry and brittle. This is known as a. A participial phrase consists of a participle plus modifier (s), object (s), and/or complement (s). Contributors: Chris Berry, Karl Stolley A dangling modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that modifies an element that is missing from a sentence. a. de la b. des c.du 5. A. she dove into the ocean depths. Chapter 11: Writing from Research: What Will I Learn? his coat (direct object of action expressed in participle), The participial phrase functions as an adjective modifying cousin. Charlie spotted a stray puppy driving home from work. Scribbr. Il y a des marches ________ Etats-Unis? document.write([location.protocol, '//', location.host, location.pathname].join('')); This website collects and publishes the ideas of individuals who have contributed those ideas in their capacities as faculty-mentored student scholars. Incorrect: Riding in the sports car, the world whizzed by. A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that describes another part of a sentence. Here are a few example sentences: are modifiers that add detail by describing the limits a noun, pronoun, or other subject in a sentence faces. Theres nothing like a cone of chocolate ice cream on a hot day. A modifier is a word or participial phrase that provides more information about something being discussed in the sentence. (a) After the dogs had obedience training, the brothers let them play in the park. Lets start with the basics: What are modifiers? Misplaced and dangling modifiers make sentences difficult to understand. When writing a proposal, an original task is set for research. This modifier placement makes it clear that "Dolger" is the one using astronavigation. A woman's body needs time to heal after a traumatic event such as childbirth, which can take many weeks. A misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that, because of its incorrect position within a sentence, modifies the wrong thing. Misplaced modifiers make the sentence awkward and sometimes unintentionally humorous. The young lady was walking the dog on the telephone. With modifiers. They frequently include an -ing word (gerund) and to + verb (infinitive) phrase near the start of a sentence. (a) mockery, (b) derision, (c) decision, (d) contempt. I heard that there was a robbery on the evening news. Adjective phrases are phrases that function as adjectives, which means they describe nouns. | Examples & How to Eliminate, Because John had injured his dominant hand, a car accident caused a traffic jam on the highway, Because we required more data for the study, questionnaires were collected from an additional 200 people, the darkness obscured the details of the room. Luo, A. One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. In this correctly composed sentence, the reader knows that the team captain arrived late and needs a written excuse. A few examples of single words that may be used as modifiers are: Modifier phrases, which can be adverbial or adjectival phrases, are phrases like: Sometimes, clauses act as modifiers. Correct: The patient with stomach pains was referred to the physician. Here, the phrase "in the library" gives us extra information about the verb, "studied, The modifier, "using astronavigation," is unclear in this sentence. To fix a misplaced modifier, rearrange the words in a sentence. Print Worksheet. Published on theyre modifying. A reader will wonder, "Was Dolger using astronavigation? meanings. Butterfield, J. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice. On ne mange pas tres bien a la cantine _______ ecole! Sophie va aller ________ supermarche ce matin. theme of mutability, or the idea that life on earth is full of constant (and mainly negative) change. As we mentioned above, modifiers are words that modify their sentences meanings. One method of fixing a dangling modifier is to leave the modifier as it is and rewrite the main clause so that it begins with the subject being modified. Which sentence corrects the dangling modifier in the sample sentence? See answers Advertisement WorldlyGlass49 . You guessed itwith modifiers. by Chapter 5: Help for English Language Learners, Chapter 6: Writing Paragraphs: Separating Ideas and Shaping Content. Placement: In order to prevent confusion, a participial phrase must be placed as close to the noun it modifies as possible, and the noun must be clearly stated. 3) His use of the techniques emphasizes important ideas. DANGLING MODIFIER: When we begin a sentence with a modifying word, phrase, or clause, we must make sure the next thing that comes along can, in fact, be modified by that modifier. c) comes at the end of a sentence and is separated from the word it modifies. "Having finished" states an action but does not name the doer of that action. See APA 7, Section 4.23 for more explanation and examples. How do you describe how an action is being performed? Moving slowly, Bowie stalked the rabbits. Dangling modifiers arent the only type of misplaced modifier. We returned the wine to the waiter that was sour. The teacher served cookies to the children wrapped in aluminum foil. (2016). The word "address" in the passage, in both instances, is meant to express some way that a style of writing might relate to its contemporary world. She decided to buy the blue vintage Cadillac. This sentence has a misplaced or dangling modifier! Place modifiers near the words they describe; be sure the modified words actually appear in the sentence. Underline the first noun that follows it: Painting for three hours at night, the kitchen was finally finished by Maggie. Sentence 3: Change "he" to "they" Sentence 4: Change "it" to " a test." Which sentence contains a dangling modifier? You have some unanswered questions. Purdue OWL is a registered trademark. Correct: They bought a kitten they call Shadow for my brother. Then decide whether the sentence is correct or contains a misplaced or dangling modifier. , all rights reserved. Another method of fixing a dangling modifier is to include the subject in the introductory phrase, leaving the main clause as it is. The first is Usage and Mechanics (including punctuation, grammar, usage, and sentence structure). See Answer. A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that describes, defines, or qualifies something else in a sentence. The possible revision might look like this: The main clause now names the person (the captain) who did the action in the modifying phrase (arrived late). REVISED: After reading the original study, I find the article unconvincing. Privacy policy. lost the surfing championship, which included a scholarship to college. Is it the sister or the car? All rights reserved. October 20, 2022. Yes! Naturally, theyre often used as modifiers: can also be used as modifiers. Placing the cold cuts on the bread, the lettuce was placed on top. Take a look at these examples to see a variety of ways modifiers operate in sentences: Modifiers are words that modify their sentences meanings by adding details and clarifying facts or by differentiating between people, events, or objects. When examining Pablo Picasso's art, his paintings often portray people with distorted faces. Misplaced or Dangling Modifier? After identifying the error (if there is one), fix the sentence. a. d' b. la c. del'. Cite This Source. Misplaced My studies have been focused on the social sciences, having taken two political science courses and one sociology course. But the purpose of an adjective is to describe a noun, and an adjective phrase ultimately describes a noun by providing a more vivid description than a single adjective can. A problem arises when these modifying phrases aren't clearly attached to the subject of a sentence . A dog appeared in my dreams that sang like an angel. Est-ce qu'il ya une boulangerie __________ centre commercial? Fundamentally, modifiers' purpose is to make sentences more descriptive or detailed. I cut the sandwich in half with a knife turning on the radio. The revision might look something like this: The phrase is now a complete introductory clause; it does not modify any other part of the sentence, so is not considered "dangling.". The clown at the party was very nice. A participial phrase is a group of words consisting of a participle and the modifier(s) and/or (pro)noun(s) or noun phrase(s) that function as the direct object(s), indirect object(s), or complement(s) of the action or state expressed in the participle, such as: The participial phrase functions as an adjective modifying Jack. INCORRECT: The experiment was a failure, not having studied the lab manual carefully. While Marinas Simple modifiers like only, almost, just, nearly, and barely often get used incorrectly because writers often stick them in the wrong place. Incorrect: The patient was referred to the physician with stomach pains. This kind of modifier is unclear because its placed in a way that makes it just as applicable to the word before it as it is to the word following it. Assessing his set as clumsy and inelegant, not a single compliment was received Tom nervously watched the woman, alarmed by her silence. Go beyond words when generative AI comes to Grammarly, Grammarly helps you communicate confidently. We glued together the vase we broke quietly. Usually, this means right before or after the noun: This is also true when theyre modifying a verb or adjective: When a modifier isnt in this position, it can make the sentence confusing for a reader or listener. They can make a sentence's meaning clearer, make a sentence more specific, or simply make it more engaging. The mechanics worked hard to prepare the car for the race and finished second. I recently went on a camping trip where I learned survival techniques, cooking skills, and general safety rules. There may be some examples of writing that have not been updated to APA 7 guidelines. Painting for three hours at night, Maggie finally finished the kitchen. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use. Note for Purdue Students: Schedule a consultation at the on-campus writing lab to get more in-depth writing help from one of our tutors. Packing for a trip, a cockroach scurried down the hallway. The mysterious woman walked toward the car holding an umbrella. Correct Sentence? To fix a misplaced modifier in your writing, you simply have to rearrange the words in a sentence. Our food stayed in the bag while it was hot. Here are a few example sentences: Limiting modifiers are modifiers that add detail by describing the limits a noun, pronoun, or other subject in a sentence faces. They frequently include an -ing word (gerund) and to + verb (infinitive) phrase near the start of a sentence. Clearer ways of writing these sentences are: Dangling modifiers arent the only type of misplaced modifier. Modifiers include descriptive words such as adjectives and adverbs: She always listened attentively in class. Which of the following sentences contains a dangling gerund phrase? Home Here are the same two sentences with their modifiers in the correct positions: One type of misplaced modifier is known as a dangling modifier. Sentence 1 Directions: Read the highlighted item in the passage below. Robust, real-time communication assistance, Write, rewrite, get ideas, and quickly reply with GrammarlyGO, Features to polish, grammar, tone, clarity, team consistency, and more, Writing assistance on 500,000+ apps and sites across your devices, For desktop apps and websites like Word and Gmail, For sites like Google Docs, Gmail, and LinkedIn, Check for grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes, Format citations in APA, MLA, and Chicago, Demonstrative Pronouns: Definition and Examples, ten grammatical errors that make you look bad. Which one of these options completes the sentence in a way that makes the most sense? Which of the following sentences contains a dangling modifier? Note that if the participial phrase is essential to the meaning of the sentence, no commas should be used: If a participial phrase comes at the end of a sentence, a comma usually precedes the phrase if it modifies an earlier word in the sentence but not if the phrase directly follows the word it modifies. I ate nothing but a cold bowl of noodles for dinner. Your writing will be stronger for it. Misplaced modifiers describe a word or phrase that is in the sentence, but in the wrong place. Incorrect: To win the spelling bee, Luis and Gerard should join our team. Which of the following sentences contains a dangling participial phrase? Hanging on a fencepost in a field, I saw a pair of boots. Modifiers work by adding descriptive language to sentences, either just before or just after the words they are modifying. Words that are often used as limiting modifiers include: You use modifiers in your everyday speech and. The inevitable passage of time was a particularly painful example of such change, especially since it . Tommy also insisted on head bumping the great white sharks that he encountered. B) The school bus has a morning and afternoon route. Chapter 13: APA and MLA Documentation and Formatting, Chapter 14: Creating Presentations: Sharing Your Ideas, Next: 2.8 Writing Basics: End-of-Chapter Exercises, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Passage describes the act of passing or traveling from one place to the next. For example, heres how the word, Demonstrative Pronouns: Definition and Examples. A dangling modifier is a type of misplaced modifier. Try these two tests: Turn your sentences into yes/no questions. Some of the sentences contain a misplaced or dangling modifier. Stressed syllable in passage: pas-sage. She seems logically to be the one doing the action ("having finished"), and this sentence therefore does not have a dangling modifier. 1. Sometimes writers use modifiers incorrectly, leading to strange and unintentionally humorous sentences. There are two types of participles: present participles and past participles. All rights reserved. Want to create or adapt books like this? My uncle with indigestion had to see a doctor. About Robin. They can make a sentences meaning clearer, make a sentence more specific, or simply make it more engaging. Take a look at these examples to see a variety of ways modifiers operate in sentences: Before school starts, the teachers all drink, Modifiers work by adding descriptive language to sentences, either just before or just after the words they are modifying. With the misplaced modifier, the word it describes is there, but in the wrong place. In a correct sentence, the subject (or doer) that is modified should immediately follow the comma after the modifier. the tail propelled Tommy through the strong surf. For example, if you say purple womens shoes, it sounds like the women are purple, not the shoes. He improved his results by doing the experiment again. The priceless painting drew large crowds when walking into the museum. As we mentioned above, modifiers can be single words, phrases, or clauses. We strongly encourage students to use sources in their work. Too many equally weighted phrases and clauses produce tiresome sentences. Present participles end in -ing. Punctuation: When a participial phrase begins a sentence, a comma should be placed after the phrase. Copyright 1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. act as modifiers. are phrases that function as adjectives, which means they describe nouns. To revise, combine the phrase and the main clause into one sentence. No! A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that modifies a word not clearly stated in the sentence. Or was the civilization he discovered using astronavigation?". Lets look at some dangling modifier and misplaced modifier examples to clear things up. a. al' b. des c. aux 4. Listening to music while walking home, Choose 1 answer: Choose 1 answer: (Choice A) I didn't notice my friend shouting "hello". The second is Rhetorical Skills (including strategy, organization, and style). Typically, modifiers are adjectives and adverbs, but they can also be prepositional phrases or even entire clauses. With an angry snap of her fingers, she replaced Tommys Do you really want to submit? Sentence 2. The warmhearted clown at the party was caring, but his performance was not very humorous. A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that clarifies or describes another word, phrase, or clause. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. What the writer means is that the patient has stomach pains. I bought a fresh loaf of bread for my sandwich shopping in the grocery store. Check all that apply. Repaired: Tyler found almost fifty cents under the sofa cushions. Correct: As Jonas was walking home at night, the trees looked like spooky aliens. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use. For one thing, they make the meaning of a sentence unclear and hinder communication. A misplaced modifier is a modifier that is placed too far from the word or words it modifies. Combine the phrase and main clause into one: Who wanted to improve results? The passage continues claiming . Words that are often used as limiting modifiers include: In a sentence, a limiting modifier can look like this: You use modifiers in your everyday speech and writing without realizing it. Purdue OWL is a registered trademark. Relationships Psychology- PAST PAPER Q&As, The Language of Composition: Reading, Writing, Rhetoric, Lawrence Scanlon, Renee H. Shea, Robin Dissin Aufses. A dangling modifier occurs when the intendedsubject of the modifier is missing from the sentence, and instead another subject appears in its place. A participial phrase is set off with commas when it: b) interrupts a sentence as a nonessential element. A. When a modifier is not modifying a specific word, we call it a dangling modifier. music (direct object of action expressed in participle) A dangling modifier is a modifier that doesnt modify any specific word in the sentence. Here are a few examples: , I watched a squirrel cross the sidewalk. These, too, are generally either adverbial or adjectival and can look like: Typically, modifiers are placed right beside the. a. du b. au c. de la 3. To raise a good dog, patience is useful. A modifier describes or qualifies another part of a sentence. Ranging from mild to acute, UNICEF reports that 20 per cent of Iraq's 3.5 million children suffer from malnutrition. Wielding ancient ocean secrets with a snap of her fingers, | Examples & How to Eliminate. Living in southern Ontario, her condominium was affected by the recent power shortages. Instead, the modifier is incorrectly attached to a different person or thing. This resource explains what a dangling modifier is and how to correct the problem. On completing the grammar quiz, spiking your pencil is acceptable. ACT English tests two broad content areas. An adjective phrase can act as a modifier. out of the ocean as sleek as a seal, Tommy gasped at the sight. a regular human being, Tommy regretted the gift that he had squandered. The sentence "John wants to really do well on this exam" contains which of the following errors? What are the different kinds of modifiers? "Having finished" states an action but does not name the doer of that action. or dangling modifier. In the example above, the first sentence fails to clarify whose hand was injured it does not state the subject of the introductory modifier phrase. While a modifier is a single word that alters a sentences meaning, a modifier phrase is a phrase that functions as a modifier. Here are a few examples of misplaced modifiers: In the first sentence, who is Pumpkin? The two common types of modifier errors are called misplaced modifiers and dangling modifiers. Mr. Fernandez is teaching us about great world leaders. Directions: Read the Dangling his legs over the water, Tommy sat on the pier and cried. Moving to Montreal has been a difficult experience because I left my father at home, who is a recent widower. Another type is known as a. Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices. Rewrite and paraphrase texts instantly with our AI-powered paraphrasing tool. "Having finished" states an action but does not name the doer of that action. By using the commonsense method, determine the meaning of the italicized words below. In English sentences, the doer must be the subject of the main clause that follows. Of course, the writer is referring to the helmet, not to the persons head. A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that modifiesthat is, gives information aboutanother word in the same sentence. Google Classroom. Biting into the sandwich, my favorite song blared loudly in my ears. (Painting is the -ing modifier.). This situation is an example of a dangling modifier error, since the modifier (the participial phrase) is not modifying any specific noun in the sentence and is thus left "dangling." Writing, grammar, and communication tips for your inbox. In a correct sentence, the subject (or doer) that is modified should immediately follow the comma after the modifier. Problem. How to say passage: pronounce syllables in passage. A participle is a verbal ending in -ing (present) or -ed, -en, -d, -t, -n, or -ne (past) that functions as an adjective, modifying a noun or pronoun. 2) He uses these techniques at the same time. without realizing it. Both of the example sentences above are complete sentences, but only one provides additional details about the train ride. Specifically, theyre words that modify their. With modifiers. Bent over backward, the posture was very challenging. Dangling modifiers often appear at the beginning of the sentence as a participle phrase. A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that modifiesthat is, gives information aboutanother word in the same sentence. For a quick refresher on how to fit these components together to build sentences, read our post on sentence structure. For example, heres how the word only can modify a sentence: Its GO time for generative AI writing assistance, Grammarly helps you communicate confidently. The term verbal indicates that a participle, like the other two kinds of verbals, is based on a verb and therefore expresses action or a state of being. Scrubbing the tile grout with bleach and an old toothbrush, the mildew stains began to fade. Having finished the assignment, Jill turned on the TV. is a word that modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. Twitter What is a dangling modifier? Saying Henry learned that, aside from writing books, Charles Dickens also travelled and read his stories to eager audiences in his English literature lecture. Sinking under the waves, Tommys legs finally However, since they function as adjectives, participles modify nouns or pronouns. After thoughtlessly Fundamentally, modifiers purpose is to make sentences more descriptive or detailed. Dangling modifiers. In the first sentence, there is no clear indication of who or what is performing the action expressed in the participle carrying. Often, they can be found at the beginning of sentences, though they can also appear at a sentence's end. Often this error is a result of a main clause written in the passive voice. A writers goal must always be to communicate clearly and to avoid distracting the reader with strange sentences or awkward sentence constructions. In this example, it is not clear who is consulting the selection of current publications.

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