Misplaced Modifiers

1
Misplaced Modifiers

• The key is to put even the little words
• in the right places!

2
Whats wrong with the sentences

• You can reorder the wording
• __1. You do not have to cut out restaurants
  completely or eat at only the cheap places.
• __2. Food prices rise, causing grocery receipts
  for only a few items to be quite high.
• __3. Everyone, especially students, wants to save
  money.
• __4. For a college student, saving money is very
  hard.

Why is it cash only?
3
Whats wrong with the sentences?

• Can you fix the modifiers that student writers
  misplaced?
• __1. You do not have to cut out restaurants
  completely or only eat at the cheap places.
• __2. Food prices rise, causing grocery receipts
  to be quite high for only a few items.
• __3. Everyone wants to save money, especially
  students.
• __4. For college a student saving money is very
  hard.

4
What are misplaced modifiers?

• Misplaced modifiers are words that modify
  something you did not intend.
• Because it is a wiggle-word that slides around a
  lot, especially watch the use of the word only.
• Which alternate below means that I may have
  eaten, but I did not wash the veggies?
• __1. I ate only vegetables.
• __2. I only ate vegetables.
• __3. Only I ate vegetables.

5
Here is the well-placed modifier

• The marked sentence alternate below means that I
  didnt wash the veggies
• __1. I ate only vegetables.
• Meaning I ate nothing else.
• X_2. I only ate vegetables.
• Meaning I did nothing but
• eat veggies I did not wash
• them.
• __3. Only I ate vegetables.
• Meaning I am the only one
• that ate veggies the others
• ate something else.

6
Where should modifiers be placed?

• It's easiest to get modifiers right when you keep
  them as close as possible to the thing they are
  modifying.
• When you're working with one-word modifiers, for
  example, they usually go right before the word
  they modify.

7
Which modifier is well-placed?

• It makes a huge difference where modifiers are
  placed!
• Which sentence alternate means that I passed only
  few if any of my various art classes?
• __1. I almost failed every art class that I ever
  took.
• __2. I failed every art class that I almost ever
  took.
• __3. I failed almost every art class that I ever
  took.

8
This modifier is well-placed

• This sentence alternate means that I passed only
  few of my art classes
• __1. I almost failed every art class that I ever
  took.
• __2. I failed every art class that I almost ever
  took.
• X_3. I failed almost every art class that I ever
  took.
• The modifier, almost, acts on what directly
  follows italmost failed versus almost every
  class.

9
Which modifier is well-placed?

• Phrases at the beginning of a sentence, should
  immediately be followed by the referent.
• In which alternate is someone and not something
  rolling?
• __1. Rolling down the hill, Squiggly was
  frightened that the rocks would land on the
  campsite.
• __2. Squiggly was frightened that the rocks
  rolling down the hill would land on the campsite.

10
This modifier is well-placed

• Phrases at the beginning of a sentence, should
  immediately be followed by the referent.
• In this alternate someone and not something is
  rolling
• X_1. Rolling down the hill, Squiggly was
  frightened that the rocks would land on the
  campsite.
• __2. Squiggly was frightened that the rocks
  rolling down the hill would land on the campsite.

11
Can you place the modifier?

• Which single alternate is the best-written?
• __1. Covered in wildflowers, Aardvark pondered
  the hillside's beauty.
• __2. Covered in wildflowers, the hillside struck
  Aardvark with its beauty.
• __3. Aardvark pondered the beauty of the
  wildflowers that covered the hillside.

12
You can place the modifier!

• __1. Covered in wildflowers, Aardvark pondered
  the hillside's beauty.
• __2. Covered in wildflowers, the hillside struck
  Aardvark with its beauty.
• X_3. Aardvark pondered the beauty of the
  wildflowers that covered the hillside.
• Watch the introductory elements that can cause
  misplaced modifiers!

13
Do you see the modifiers meanings?

• The patient was referred to a psychologist with
  several emotional problems.
• a. students meaning
• b. correct sentence
• c. real meaning
• __1. The patient has emotional problems.
• __2. The psychologist has emotional problems.
• __3. The patient with emotional problems was
  referred to a psychologist.

Has the shrink done his job?
14
You do see the modifiers meanings

• The patient was referred to a psychologist with
  several emotional problems.
• a. students meaning
• b. correct sentence
• c. real meaning
• a_1. The patient has emotional problems.
• c_2. The psychologist has emotional problems.
• b_3. The patient with emotional problems was
  referred to a psychologist.

Have the shrinks done the job?
15
Do you see the modifiers meanings?

• A bright red 2009 Ford Mustang was reported
  stolen by the Dalton police chief yesterday.
• a. students meaning
• b. correct sentence
• c. real meaning
• __1. The police chief stole a car.
• __2. Yesterday, the police chief reported a
  stolen car.
• __3. The police chief reported a stolen car
  yesterday.

16
You see the modifiers meanings

• A bright red 2009 Ford Mustang was reported
  stolen by the Dalton police chief yesterday.
• a. students meaning
• b. correct sentence
• c. real meaning
• c_1. The police chief stole a car.
• b_2. Yesterday, the police chief reported a
  stolen car.
• a_3. The police chief reported a stolen car
  yesterday.

17
Do you see the modifiers meanings?

• Luis had driven over with his wife, Chris, from
  their home in a Chevy for the basketball game.
• a. students meaning
• b. correct sentence
• c. real meaning
• __1. Luis and Chris live in a Chevy.
• __2. Luis and Chris drove in their Chevy to the
  game.
• __3. Luis and Chris drove in their Chevy to the
  game.

18
You see the modifiers meanings

• Luis had driven over with his wife, Chris, from
  their home in a Chevy for the basketball game.
• a. students meaning
• b. correct sentence
• c. real meaning
• c_1. Luis and Chris live in a Chevy.
• a_2. Luis and Chris drove in their Chevy to the
  game.
• b_3. Luis and Chris drove in their Chevy to the
  game.

19
Which modifier is well-placed?

• Is there a misplaced modifier or is the sentence
  correct?
• __ 1. When jumping the fence, the rider was
  thrown by his horse.
• __ 2. Without reading the directions, the quiz is
  hard.
• __ 3. The team with the highest number of wins
  will capture the championship.
• __ 4. Dangerous and hot, Sonya tried the strict
  cayenne diet.
• __ 5. Doctors in white hospital coats are well-
  respected.

20
Which modifier is well-placed?

• Three sentences have misplaced modifiers and two
  are correct
• MM 1. When jumping the fence, the rider was
  thrown by his horse.
• MM 2. Without reading the directions, the quiz is
  hard.
• CR 3. The team with the highest number of wins
  will capture the championship.
• MM 4. Dangerous and hot, Sonya tried the strict
  cayenne diet.
• CR 5. Doctors in white hospital coats are well-
  respected.

21
What is a dangling modifier?

• A dangling modifier describes something that
  isn't even in your sentence.
• Usually you imply the subject and take for
  granted that your reader will know what you
  meannot a good strategy.
• Here's an example
• Hiking the trail, the birds chirped loudly.
• Who hiked the trailthe chirping birds?

22
How do we avoid dangling modifiers?

• To avoid dangling modifiers, make sure that the
  modifier refers to something in the sentence!
• Which alternate is correct?
• __1. Driving 60 mph on Walnut Avenue, along came
  a police car.
• __2. Along came a police car, driving 60 mph on
  Walnut Avenue.
• __3. Driving 60 mph on Walnut Avenue, Sam saw a
  police car.

23
How we avoid dangling modifiers

• To avoid dangling modifiers, make sure that the
  modifier refers to something in the sentence!
• This alternate is correct
• __1. Driving 60 mph on Walnut Avenue, along came
  a police car.
• __2. Along came a police car, driving 60 mph on
  Walnut Avenue.
• X_3. Driving 60 mph on Walnut Avenue, Sam saw a
  police car.

24
What is a squinting modifier?

• To make a squinting modifier, place it between
  two things that it could reasonably modify,
  meaning the reader has no idea which one to
  choose!
• For example Children who laugh rarely are shy.
• The sentence can mean
• 1. Children who rarely laugh are shy??
• 2. Children who laugh are rarely shy???

25
Where is the squinting modifier?

• Which alternate is wrong?
• __1. The thief who was gesturing wildly stalked
  his victim. 
• __2. Gesturing wildly, the thief stalked his
  victim.
• __3. The thief, who was gesturing, stalked his
  victim wildly.
• __4. The thief, who was gesturing, wildly stalked
  his victim.

26
This single modifier is squinting

• The word wildly modifies both gesturing and
  stalkedwhich makes the reader squint!
• X_1. The thief who was gesturing wildly stalked
  his victim. 
• __2. Gesturing wildly, the thief stalked his
  victim.
• __3. The thief, who was gesturing, stalked his
  victim wildly.
• __4. The thief, who was gesturing, wildly stalked
  his victim.