Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers PDF

L I N G A N D DAN G S PL A C E D MI O D I FI E R S M  LEARNING OBJECTIVES At the end of this discussion, the pre-service teachers are expected to: a. characterize what dangling and misplaced modifier are for mastery; b. exhibit self-confidence through re...

L I N G A N D DAN G S PL A C E D MI O D I FI E R S M  LEARNING OBJECTIVES At the end of this discussion, the pre-service teachers are expected to: a. characterize what dangling and misplaced modifier are for mastery; b. exhibit self-confidence through responding in every recitation; c. demonstrate understanding of dangling and misplaced modifier through correcting given sentence errors.  WHAT IS A MODIFIER? An expression that limits or describes another word or phrase Words, phrases, or subordinate clauses. Example: Little boats (little describes boats)  TYPES OF MODIFIERS Adjectives - modify nouns or pronouns Little boats stay close to shore. Adverbs - modify verbs, adjectives or other adverbs Little boats sail slowly.(adverb)  TYPES OF MODIFIERS Participial phrases - function as adjectives and are participles (verbs ending in -ing) plus other words Having no GPS, our boat stays close to shore. Prepositional phrases - function as adjectives or adverbs, preposition + noun or noun equivalent With only one sail, our boat stays close to  TYPES OF MODIFIERS Infinitive phrases- as modifiers can function as adjectives or adverbs To avoid risk, we sail our boat close to shore Subordinate clauses - as modifiers they contain a subject + verb but function as adjectives or adverbs Little boats that stay close to shore avoid taking  MISPLACED MODIFIERS Misplaced modifiers are not near the word they modify. Example: If you stay close to the shore for little boats, the risk of sinking is reduced. (For little boats is close to shore and seems to be modifying shore.) Improved: If you stay close to the shore, the risk of sinking for little boats is reduced.  DANGLING MODIFIER Dangling modifier is a modifier that has nothing to modify because the intended subject is missing from the sentence. Example: By staying close to shore, the risk of sinking is reduced. (The word modified, boat, is not in the sentence.) Improved: By staying close to shore, little boats reduce the risk of sinking.  DELAYED SUBJECT Delayed subject -- it or there is nearest the modifier but is not the word modified. Example: By staying close to shore, it is possible for little boats to reduce the risk of sinking. (It delays the appearance of the subject, boats, and reduces the clarity of the meaning.) Improved: By staying close to shore, little boats reduce the risk of sinking.  SQUINTING MODIFIER A modifier that makes the meaning of a sentence ambiguous because it is unclear whether it modifies text before it or after it. Example: Little boats sailing quickly found tar close to shore (Did the boats sail quickly or quickly find tar?) Improved: When the little boats sailed  SPLIT INFINITIVES (to + verb) A modifier placed between to and the verb Example: … to carefully stay close to shore…. Improved: …to stay carefully close to shore…. Example: The company decided to quickly and efficiently implement the  O R R E C T T O C H OW N D L A C E D A MI SP M od i fi e rs D a ng l i n g  STRATEGIES TO FIX DANGLING MODIFIERS Name the actor or agent as the subject of the sentence. Example: Walking toward the forest, the sun began to set. (In this example, “walking toward the forest” is a dangling modifier since it sounds as if the sun is walking toward the forest.) Revision: Walking toward the forest, I watched as the sun began to set. (The actor, I, is named as the subject of the  STRATEGIES TO FIX DANGLING MODIFIERS The second strategy to fix a dangling modifier is to name the actor or agent in the modifier itself. Example: Walking toward the forest, the sun began to set. Revision: As I walked toward the forest, the sun began to set. (The actor, I, is added to the modifier.)  STRATEGIES TO FIX DANGLING MODIFIERS “Most misplaced modifiers can be corrected by moving them to the beginning of the sentence or closer to the word modified. Dangling modifiers are often phrases already at the start of the sentence and followed by a comma. They should modify the subject of the sentence which follows the comma. Dangling modifiers can be corrected by adding a word which the phrase can modify or by changing the phrase to a clause.” For example, “Hit into the outfield, the boy caught the ball.” (Incorrect) Change to the following: “The boy caught the ball, which was hit into the outfield.”  MORE EXAMPLES Throwing pearls to swine, it was clear BP executives would not take the scientists’ advice. (delayed subject) Throwing pearls to swine, the scientists gave BP executives advice that they would not take. At the risk of being insensitive, he will get another date with me when hell freezes over. (misplaced modifier -- The speaker or writer is the one at risk of being insensitive.) At the risk of being insensitive, I told him I would  MORE EXAMPLES In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne had to publicly wear the red letter “A” to mark her as an adulterer. (split infinitive) In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne had to wear publicly the red letter “A” to mark her as an adulterer. Cycling up hills quickly strengthens your quadriceps. Cycling up hills strengthens your quadriceps quickly  CONCLUSION 1 2 Ensure clarity of Locate the meaning with modifier near the modifiers. word modified.  GROUP 3 MEMBERS Make the word Riza Dela Cruz Gerlie Delos Santos modified Jahaina Nicdao Cathrine Joy Ramos obvious and not Jannah Dexie Quebral ambiguous THAN K YOU Instructions: EXERCISE TIME! Write an M if the sentence has a misplaced modifier, a D if it has a dangling modifier or C if it is correct. 1.The cat chased the mouse, wearing a red collar. 2.The old woman stumbled with a walking cane. 3.Walking down the street, a colorful bird flew by. 4.After eating the pizza, we started the movie. 5.The house, which had a red roof, was for sale. 6. I saw a man with a telescope on the beach. 7. When washing the dishes, the phone rang. 8.The old man with a beard sat on the bench. 9. To get a good grade, studying is necessary. 10. After we ate a cake, the party started.  EXERCISE TIME! Instructions: Each sentence below contains a dangling modifier. Rewrite the sentence to correct the problem. 1. Running to catch the bus, the wallet fell out of John's pocket. 2. After reading the novel, the movie seemed dull. 3. Walking through the park, the flowers looked beautiful. 4. Having finished the assignment, the TV was turned on. 5. While jogging in the morning, the fresh air was refreshing.  EXERCISE TIME! Instructions: Each sentence below contains a dangling modifier. Rewrite the sentence to correct the problem. 1. Running to catch the bus, the wallet fell out of John's pocket. 2. After reading the novel, the movie seemed dull. 3. Walking through the park, the flowers looked beautiful. 4. Having finished the assignment, the TV was turned on. 5. While jogging in the morning, the fresh air was refreshing.