1. DANGLING & MISPLACED
MODIFIERS

2. TAKE THE QUIZ
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3. LEARN MISPLACED MODIFIERS
A misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that
describes the wrong noun.
A misplaced modifier can change the meaning of a
sentence.
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4. FOR EXAMPLE
Incorrect:
The torn student’s book was on the desk.
Rebecca found a gold man’s watch.
The sentence should say:
The student’s torn book was on the desk.
Rebecca found a man’s gold watch.

5. HERE’S WHY
By saying the torn student’s book was on the desk, the
reader thinks the student is torn, where in reality
it is the book that is torn. The word torn is meant
to describe the book, but it is closer to the noun
student. This may cause confusion to the reader.
By saying Rebecca found a gold man’s watch, the
reader thinks the man is gold. Gold needs to be
closest to the noun it is describing. Therefor we
move gold next to watch.
HOME

6. LEARN DANGLING MODIFIERS
A dangling modifier is a phrase or clause that does not
have a noun to describe.
It is a phrase meaning to describe the narrator or
someone but is forgetting to put that noun
along with the description.
These sentences can often not make sense to the
reader.
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7. FOR EXAMPLE
Incorrect:
Having seen the Blackpool Tower, the
Eiffel Tower is more impressive.
Hoping to excuse my lateness, the note
was written and given to my teacher.
The sentence should say:
Having seen the Blackpool Tower, I am
more impressed by the Eiffel Tower.
Hoping to excuse my lateness, I wrote a
note and gave it to my teacher

8. HERE’S WHY
The modifying phrase in the first example is having seen the
Blackpool Tower. The noun it describes should be
closest to it, but the next noun is the Eiffel Tower. The
Eiffel Tower did not see the Blackpool Tower, and there
is not another noun in the sentence that could.
For this
reason, the modifier is dangling.
The modifying phrase in the second example is hoping to
excuse my lateness. The noun closest to it is the note,
but the note did not hope to excuse it’s lateness. The
next noun is the teacher, but she did not want to
excuse herself either. There is not a noun that wants
to excuse themselves, so the modifier is dangling.
HOME

9. QUIZ
Quiz yourself to see if you have mastered modifiers.

10. WHAT DOES A MISPLACED MODIFIER DESCRIBE?
They describe the closest noun, but
not the intended noun.
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11. WHAT IS A DANGLING MODIFIER?
A word, phrase, or clause that describes the wrong noun
A missing description
A phrase or clause that describes a noun that is missing
A phrase that changes a sentence
A word used to describe a noun
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12. WHICH CONTAINS A DANGLING MODIFIER?
To become a respected politician, campaign funds must
be carefully administered.
Spending way too much money on his old car, Fred
soon found he'd used up his salary.
Hoping for a present, Stephen ran down the stairs.
All of the above
None of the above

13. WHICH SENTENCE IS WRITTEN CORRECTLY?
I like to listen to rock music while I do my homework.
The dog walked down the street.
The children loved the monkeys swinging through the trees.
All of the above
None of the above

14. MODIFIERS ARE SUPPOSE TO BE DIRECTLY NEXT
TO THE NOUN THEY DESCRIBE.

15. DOES THIS SENTENCE CONTAIN A DANGLING MODIFIER?
At the age of eight, my family finally bought a dog.
The narrator never said who was
eight. The sentence could say “At
the age of eight, I got a dog.”

16. WHICH MODIFIER DOES THIS SENTENCE CONTAIN?
Louis found the shiny dog’s shoes.

17. WHAT IS A NOUN?

18. WHICH NOUN IS INTENDED TO BE DESCRIBED?
Without a plan for the weekend, we decided to take in a
Saturday matinee.

19. WHICH NOUN IS DESCRIBED BY A MODIFIER?

20. CONGRATULATIONS!
You finished the quiz!
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