Download - Grammar- Misplaced Modifier TE
-
8/12/2019 Grammar- Misplaced Modifier TE
1/21
Misplaced Modifiers
-
8/12/2019 Grammar- Misplaced Modifier TE
2/21
What is a misplaced modifier?
Modifiers
are words or word groups that describe other
words in a sentence. In the following sentence, the
words in bold modify
woman
.
The woman
who is sitting by the door
is my sister.
-
8/12/2019 Grammar- Misplaced Modifier TE
3/21
What is a misplaced modifier?
A
misplaced modifier
, because it is not correctly
placed, describes the wrong word or words:
INCORRECT
Marcy saw the neighbors dog drinking a
cocktail.
CORRECT
Drinking a cocktail, Marcy saw the
neighbors dog.
-
8/12/2019 Grammar- Misplaced Modifier TE
4/21
Four types of modifiers are often misplaced.
Modifiers such as
only, almost, hardly, nearly,
andjust.
Modifiers that start with
ing
verbs, like
playing,
dancing, driving, singing.
Modifiers that are prepositional phrases (phrases
that begin with prepositions like
in, on, at,
around
).
Modifying word groups that start with
who,whose, that,
or
which.
-
8/12/2019 Grammar- Misplaced Modifier TE
5/21
Misplaced Modifiers
Misplaced modifier:
Sam bought a used car from a local dealer with
a smoky tailpipe.
Corrected version:
Sam bought a used car with a smoky tailpipe froma local dealer.
-
8/12/2019 Grammar- Misplaced Modifier TE
6/21
Misplaced Modifiers
Misplaced modifier:
The robin built a nest at the back of our house of grass and string.
Corrected version:
The robin built a nest of grass and string at the backof our house.
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/tejas/fundamentals/images/wichita-grass-house-sm.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/tejas/fundamentals/languages.html&h=263&w=200&sz=17&tbnid=bXdn9ZUPZOAJ:&tbnh=107&tbnw=81&start=2&prev=/images?q=grass+house&hl=en&lr=&sa=Nhttp://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/tejas/fundamentals/images/wichita-grass-house-sm.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/tejas/fundamentals/languages.html&h=263&w=200&sz=17&tbnid=bXdn9ZUPZOAJ:&tbnh=107&tbnw=81&start=2&prev=/images?q=grass+house&hl=en&lr=&sa=N -
8/12/2019 Grammar- Misplaced Modifier TE
7/21
Misplaced Modifiers
Misplaced modifier:
Christie almost sneezed fifteen times last evening.
Corrected version:
Christie sneezed almost fifteen times last evening.
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.designingtrade.com/hometeam/images/sneeze.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.designingtrade.com/hometeam/archives1.htm&h=603&w=479&sz=18&tbnid=b3pZTSF8JfkJ:&tbnh=132&tbnw=105&start=13&prev=/images?q=sneeze&hl=en&lr=&sa=Nhttp://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.designingtrade.com/hometeam/images/sneeze.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.designingtrade.com/hometeam/archives1.htm&h=603&w=479&sz=18&tbnid=b3pZTSF8JfkJ:&tbnh=132&tbnw=105&start=13&prev=/images?q=sneeze&hl=en&lr=&sa=N -
8/12/2019 Grammar- Misplaced Modifier TE
8/21
Lets Look At These for the Real
Meaning.
On her way to work, Elaine saw the silver womansearring laying on the park bench. This sentence implies that there is a silver woman who
left her earring on the park bench, not that the earringitself is silver.
On her way to work, Elaine saw the womans silver
earring laying on the park bench. Now the earring is silver instead of the woman.
-
8/12/2019 Grammar- Misplaced Modifier TE
9/21
Watch Those Adverbs!
Placement of adverbs (many words that end inlyareadverbs) can change meanings to funny things.
We drove off in the car we had just bought quickly. Did we buythe car quickly, or did we drive the car quickly?
We quickly drove off in the car we had just bought. Okay! We must have made a great deal and were afraid
the dealership would change its mind!
Other adverbs that dont end inlyto watch: Only, just, almost.
-
8/12/2019 Grammar- Misplaced Modifier TE
10/21
What Was Stolen?
The stolen mans walletwas placed on the policedepartments counter. Was the man stolen, or was the wallet stolen?
The mans stolen walletwas placed on the police
departments counter. Oh. So the wallet was stolen and not the man!
-
8/12/2019 Grammar- Misplaced Modifier TE
11/21
Troublesome Words That Indicate
Number.
Almost and nearly mean close tonouns can be counted;verbs cannot be counted, so these words should be next tothe noun.
He nearly swamfor an hour. How can somebody nearly swim? Is he in the water, or is he on
dry land?
He swam for nearly an hour.
-
8/12/2019 Grammar- Misplaced Modifier TE
12/21
Troublesome Words That Indicate
Number.
It almost cost me $800 for my car insurance. Do you have any car insurance? If it almost cost you, did you
actually get the policy, or did you find a cheaper one someplaceelse?
It cost me almost $800 for my car insurance.
-
8/12/2019 Grammar- Misplaced Modifier TE
13/21
Dont Forget Merely and Only!
Joey only gave his mother $50.00 towards the rent. Joey was the only one who gave anything.
Joey gave his mother only $50.00 toward the rent. Shouldnt Joey be helping out more?
The same thing happens to these sentences
if we replace the word only with merely.
-
8/12/2019 Grammar- Misplaced Modifier TE
14/21
Just is Just a Pain In the Neck!
Placing the wordjust in different places can change yourmeaning completely:
Just Evanwas rushed to the hospital from the accident scene totreat his wounds on his neck.
Evan was the only one injured in the accident.
Evan wasjust rushed to the hospital from the accident scene totreat his wounds on his neck.
Evans ambulancejust got there!
Evan was rushed to the hospital from the accident scene to treatjust his wounds on his neck.
Evan has wounds and contusions all over, but only the ones on his neckare really serious.
-
8/12/2019 Grammar- Misplaced Modifier TE
15/21
Misplaced Prepositional Phrases
When you place a prepositional phrase in thewrong place, all sorts of funny things canhappen. Be careful!
Christine made the brownies for her aunt withchocolate icing. What is a woman doing running around covered in
chocolate icing?
Christine made brownies with chocolate icing forher aunt.
-
8/12/2019 Grammar- Misplaced Modifier TE
16/21
Watch Out For Verbals!
Verbals are verbs that end ining or that have the word to beforethem.
Laila and Rachel talked about dancing in the kitchen making grilled
tuna. I wish my kitchen could make grilled tuna!
Laila and Rachel, making grilled tuna, talked about dancing in thekitchen. I guess Rachel Ray had Laila Ali as a guest.
Drew and Alex drew pictures for Mom to show. Is Mom showing the pictures, or are they showing the pictures to Mom?
Drew and Alex drew pictures to show to Mom. That makes more sense, doesnt it? Or is Mom a braggart?
-
8/12/2019 Grammar- Misplaced Modifier TE
17/21
And Dont Forget Those Clumsy
Clauses!
Make sure that clauses modify (describe) thenoun you want them to modify.
The mechanic drove out the car to Joe that waslubricated.
Was Joe just at the bar?
The mechanic drove out the car that was lubricatedto Joe.
-
8/12/2019 Grammar- Misplaced Modifier TE
18/21
Another Example:
Next to the lamp, Dawn piled the books that sheturned on. Are these audio books? How did Dawn turn on a book?
Dawn piled the books next to the lamp that shehad turned on.
-
8/12/2019 Grammar- Misplaced Modifier TE
19/21
Dont Play Monkey in the Middle!
When you move the phrase or clause that was a problem,dont plop it in between two nouns!
The teacher said on Monday she would return our essays. Did the teacher tell the class on Monday, or did she promise
them for Monday?
The teacher said she would return our essays on Monday. OrOn Monday, the teacher said she would return our
essays.
Source: http://www.new.towson.edu/ows/moduleDangling.com
http://www.new.towson.edu/ows/moduleDangling.comhttp://www.new.towson.edu/ows/moduleDangling.com -
8/12/2019 Grammar- Misplaced Modifier TE
20/21
What is a dangling modifier?
A dangling modifier dangles because theword or words it is supposed to describe are notin the sentence.
INCORRECT Jogging in the park, a dog bit me.[The dog wasnt jogging in the park; the actual
jogger is missing from the sentence.]
CORRECT Jogging in the park, I got bitten by adog. ORWhile I was jogging in the park, a dogbit me.
-
8/12/2019 Grammar- Misplaced Modifier TE
21/21
LETS PRACTICE!CLICK HERE TO START
https://baystate.itslearning.com/data/1512/C205/pptpractice/Misplaced%20and%20Dangling%20Modifiers/quiz.htmlhttps://baystate.itslearning.com/data/1512/C205/pptpractice/Misplaced%20and%20Dangling%20Modifiers/quiz.html