Correcting Misplaced Modifiers

What is a misplaced modifier?

How to fix misplaced modifiers

One-word modifiers Phrase modifiers Clause modifiers Review A Review B

What is a misplaced modifier?

The placement of one little word does matter. Notice how the meaning of the sentence changes when nearly is moved from one place to another.
All of the all skaters of the skaters Nearly nearly fell. Everyof Most one the of skaters the skaters fell, but not came close quite toall falling. of them. In each place nearly modifies a different word.

What is a misplaced modifier?

A word, phrase, or clause that seems to modify the wrong word or word group in a sentence is called a misplaced modifier. Misplaced modifiers are confusing.
Adverb phrase

Anna said after dinner she would do the dishes.

Verb Verb

Did Anna say this after dinner? Is she going to do the dishes after dinner?

What is a misplaced modifier?

A misplaced modifier can be funny too.
Adjective clause

Van gives the sculptures to his friends that he carves.

Noun Noun

Does Van carve his friends? Common sense tells us that he carves sculptures, not his friends. But the noun friends is right before the adjective clause, so it sounds as though he carves his friends.

What is a misplaced modifier?

A misplaced modifier can be a one-word adjective or adverb, a phrase, or a clause.
Adverb

OR

Loudly, Kendra jumped when the door slammed.

OR

Adjective phrase

We are used to the noise living by the airport.

OR

Adjective clause

The picnic in the park that we had was fun.

What is a misplaced modifier?

On Your Own Determine whether the underlined word or phrase is a misplaced modifier. Write M for a misplaced modifier, or C if the modifier is not misplaced. ___ 1. The jogger twisted her ankle with the orange water bottle. ___ 2. Those note cards that I gave you are handmade. ___ 3. Running in the wheel, I watched the hamster. ___ 4. My cousin gave me a cat who goes to college in Arizona.
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How to fix misplaced modifiers

Place modifying words, phrases, and clauses as near as possible to the words they modify.
Devon watched the fish in the tank sitting quietly.

Where should these two phrases be placed in this sentence?

Sitting quietly, Devon watched the fish in the tank.

Who was sitting quietly? Devon was.
What was in the tank? The fish were.

How to fix misplaced modifiers

One-word modifiers

Be especially careful to place these modifiers right before the word they modify, so that your meaning is clear.
almost merely even nearly hardly not just only

Jackie borrowed some books only for the weekend. Only Jackie borrowed some books for the weekend.

= =

She borrowed them for the weekend, not for any other time. Jackieand no one else borrowed some books.

How to fix misplaced modifiers

Phrase modifiers

When a sentence contains more than one modifying phrase, follow these steps to make sure none of them are misplaced.
Sara studied the statue with a serious look made of metal.

Step 1: Find the basic sentence.

Sara studied the statue.

How to fix misplaced modifiers

Phrase modifiers

Step 2: One at a time, insert the phrases near the word or words they modify.

Phrase 1:

with a serious look

This phrase should modify Sara.

With a serious look, Sara studied the statue.

How to fix misplaced modifiers

Phrase modifiers

Step 2: One at a time, insert the phrases near the word or words they modify.
Phrase 2: made of metal

This phrase should modify sculpture. With a serious look, Sara studied the statue made of metal.

How to fix misplaced modifiers

Clause modifiers

When a modifying clause seems to be misplaced, follow these steps to fix the sentence.
Adjective clause

There is a dog on our porch that has a red collar.

Step 1: Decide which word or word group the clause should be modifying. OR
Adjective clause

There is a dog on our porch that has a red collar.

Does the porch or the dog have a red collar? The dog does.

How to fix misplaced modifiers

Clause modifiers

Step 2: Decide if a phrase or another clause is coming between the clause and the word it should be modifying.
Adjective clause

There is a dog on on our our porch porch that has a red collar.
Prep. phrase

The prepositional phrase separates the adjective clause from the noun it modifies, dog.

How to fix misplaced modifiers

Clause modifiers

Step 3: Decide where to move the phrase or clause that is causing the confusion.
Adjective clause

There is a dog on on our our porch porch that has a red collar.
Prep. phrase Adjective clause

On our porch there is a dog that has a red collar.

Moving the phrase to the beginning of the sentence eliminates the confusion. Now, the clause is next to word it modifies.

How to fix misplaced modifiers

On Your Own

Revise each sentence to correct the misplaced modifier. 1. The parrot spoke to the little boy in the brass cage.

2. Paved with fresh asphalt, I noticed the new bike paths.

3. I saw a dog chasing a ball through the dining room window. 4. She noticed a spider near the bush that had a red spot on its back.
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Review A
Identify and correct the misplaced modifier in each sentence. 1. Made of silver, I gave a bracelet to my friend. 2. Arthur borrowed a mountain bike from his uncle with eighteen speeds. 3. Those tapes came from the library that you heard.

4. Jumping, I saw the gazelles.

5. The fruit was marked for quick sale bruised by the storm.
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Review B
Revise each sentence to correct the misplaced modifier. 1. Tired, the route home seemed long to the boy. 2. We could see the wheat growing from our back windows. 3. My oldest brother just graduated from college, who lives in Maine.

4. The girl is from my class who won the award.

5. Jan has only finished one of her papers.
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