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Pardon Me, Your Modifier is DanglingStudents will partake in an activity that will enhance their understanding of misplaced and dangling modifiers. Appropriate for students in grades 9-12.Objectives:Students will understand misplaced and dangling modifiers.Students will correct misplaced and dangling modifiers.Students will illustrate misplaced and dangling modifiers.Students will work together to create and learn.Materials Needed:For each set of partners (some may be in groups of 3)class activities on dangling/misplaced modifiers white typing paper strips of paper with dangling/misplaced modifiers markers Directions of the Teacher:Teach a standard lesson on dangling/misplaced modifiers.(Attached is the worksheet to go over with the class)Demonstrate how to illustrate a dangling/misplaced modifier, emphasizing the humor of the sentence. Each group will be given 2 dangling/misplaced modifier to illustrate. Each picture should include an illustration of the dangling/misplaced modifiers, the actual sentence underneath it, and a corrected sentence on the back. Supply students with markers to make drawings more effective. After each group has completed their modifiers, have them present it to the class stating which modifiers they are. is a list of sentences:A woman passed by, leading a Springer spaniel in a long black dress. Disappointed that vacation would soon end, September came all too quickly. He went to the library wearing a leather jacket. After reading the paper, the telephone rang. Working all afternoon, the foundation was completed. Running from New York to Florida, people ride the Silver Star. Forgetting to buy gas, the car wouldn't start. Typing slowly, the paper seemed endless. Eating too much, my stomach was upset. Hopping briskly through the vegetable garden, I saw a toad. Hard and full of clay, one must cultivate the soil. Using high-powered binoculars, the lost child was found. Celebrating my victory, a dinner with my friends lasted till midnight. Not seeing the pothole, the skateboard went flying. My cousin went on and on, describing the details of her wedding in the elevator. The guide found the lion following its trail. Driving the old car, the brakes gave out. Watching the documentary, the television went dead. Oswald and Hilda found the flowers hiking up the mountain. I found my missing baseball glove cleaning my room. Don't try to pat the dog on the porch that is growling. The photojournalist took a picture of a demonstrator with a long lens camera. From our seats we could see the stage clearly in the balcony. The guest speaker had dedicated his new book to his dog who was an archaeologist. I bought the red coat from the new shop owner with the enormous hood. The smoke alarm went off while cooking my dinner. A young woman knocked on the door wearing a suit and a hat. Mother found a package outside our house tied with ribbons. Covered in cream cheese, my friends will love these bagels. Looking out the airplane window, the volcano seemed ready to erupt. The model posed gracefully in front of the statue in the designer gown. Reading a book, my cat crawled into my lap. Before moving to New York , Miami had been their home. Dipped in yogurt, many people love fresh strawberries. While trying to get ready for school, the doorbell rang suddenly. The man and woman caught several fish using fancy lures. Tina showed the goldfish to her parents which had grown since she put it in a larger bowl. I found a huge boulder taking a shortcut through the woods. We could see corn growing from our car window. Sitting on the porch swing, the wasp startled the couple. While climbing the mountain, my backpack seemed to grow heavier and heavier. While flying over the lake, the skyscrapers of Chicago appeared in the distance. Lying on the beach, mosquitoes attacked me. While scuba diving in the ocean, a jellyfish stung me. Marin watched a radiant sunset climbing a hill. Pardon Me, Your Modifier is DanglingStudent Directions:Each group will be given 2 dangling/misplaced modifiers to illustrate. Each picture should include an illustration of the dangling/misplaced modifiers, the actual sentence underneath it, and a corrected sentence on the back. Then, present to the class each modifier and be able to state whether is it dangling or misplaced.A woman passed by, leading a Springer spaniel in a long black dress. Disappointed that vacation would soon end, September came all too quickly. He went to the library wearing a leather jacket. After reading the paper, the telephone rang. Working all afternoon, the foundation was completed. Running from New York to Florida, people ride the Silver Star. Forgetting to buy gas, the car wouldn't start. Typing slowly, the paper seemed endless. Eating too much, my stomach was upset. Hopping briskly through the vegetable garden, I saw a toad. Hard and full of clay, one must cultivate the soil. Using high-powered binoculars, the lost child was found. Celebrating my victory, a dinner with my friends lasted till midnight. Not seeing the pothole, the skateboard went flying. My cousin went on and on, describing the details of her wedding in the elevator. The guide found the lion following its trail. Driving the old car, the brakes gave out. Watching the documentary, the television went dead. Oswald and Hilda found the flowers hiking up the mountain. I found my missing baseball glove cleaning my room. Don't try to pat the dog on the porch that is growling. The photojournalist took a picture of a demonstrator with a long lens camera. From our seats we could see the stage clearly in the balcony. The guest speaker had dedicated his new book to his dog who was an archaeologist. I bought the red coat from the new shop owner with the enormous hood. The smoke alarm went off while cooking my dinner. A young woman knocked on the door wearing a suit and a hat. Mother found a package outside our house tied with ribbons. Covered in cream cheese, my friends will love these bagels. Looking out the airplane window, the volcano seemed ready to erupt. The model posed gracefully in front of the statue in the designer gown. Reading a book, my cat crawled into my lap. Before moving to New York , Miami had been their home. Dipped in yogurt, many people love fresh strawberries. While trying to get ready for school, the doorbell rang suddenly. The man and woman caught several fish using fancy lures. Tina showed the goldfish to her parents which had grown since she put it in a larger bowl. I found a huge boulder taking a shortcut through the woods. We could see corn growing from our car window. Sitting on the porch swing, the wasp startled the couple. While climbing the mountain, my backpack seemed to grow heavier and heavier. While flying over the lake, the skyscrapers of Chicago appeared in the distance. Lying on the beach, mosquitoes attacked me. While scuba diving in the ocean, a jellyfish stung me. Marin watched a radiant sunset climbing a hill. Name:________________________Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers Homework PracticeIn the paragraph below underline the sentences that have a dangling or misplaced modifier. There are 5 dangling and misplaced modifiers found in this paragraph. Chelsea was a studious and quiet student. Reading the book, the characters seemed real to her. After spending all day Saturday reading, her eyes ached. She lived in an apartment with her friend, Beth, and her kitten, Periwinkle. While reading the newspaper, the kitten jumped on the table. Chelsea swiftly picked Periwinkle up off the table. Soon Beth came home. Startled by the noise, the slamming door sent the kitten dashing headlong from the room. Periwinkle was a scared kitten and Chelsea went to go find it. While all of this commotion was going on, Beth went to take out the recyclables. Beth glimpsed a rat sorting the recyclable materials. She was frightened by the sight. She quickly ran back inside the apartment. Chelsea and Beth didn’t know what to do. They didn’t want Periwinkle to go catch the rat, so they set up a trap. A few days later, they caught the rat and were able to take out the recyclables.Below, fix the dangling/misplaced modifiers.Realizing our mistake, a new solution was mixed. ?Please go down to the main office and lying on the desk you will find a copy of laboratory's financial records. ?After having been run through the computer, the researcher used the figures for his report. ?By using lab animals in medical testing, it can only hinder long-term development of new strategies. ?The gel was run three times by adding new dyes in each run.Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers Homework Practice Answer KeyChelsea was a studious and quiet student. Reading the book, the characters seemed real to her. After spending all day Saturday reading, her eyes ached. She lived in an apartment with her friend, Beth, and her kitten, Periwinkle. While reading the newspaper, the kitten jumped on the table. Chelsea swiftly picked Periwinkle up off the table. Soon Beth came home. Startled by the noise, the slamming door sent the kitten dashing headlong from the room. Periwinkle was a scared kitten and Chelsea went to go find it. While all of this commotion was going on, Beth went to take out the recyclables. Beth glimpsed a rat sorting the recyclable materials. She was frightened by the sight. She quickly ran back inside the apartment. Chelsea and Beth didn’t know what to do. They didn’t want Periwinkle to go catch the rat, so they set up a trap. A few days later, they caught the rat and were able to take out the recyclables.Realizing our mistake, a new solution was mixed. Realizing our mistake, we mixed a new solution.?Please go down to the main office and lying on the desk you will find a copy of laboratory's financial records. Please go down to the main office, where you will find a copy of the laboratory’s financial records laying on the desk.After having been run through the computer, the researcher used the figures for his report. After having been run through the computer, the figures were used by the researcher for his report.By using lab animals in medical testing, it can only hinder long-term development of new strategies. By using lab animals in medical testing, we can only hinder long-term development of new strategies.The gel was run three times by adding new dyes in each run.Adding new dyes to each run, we ran the gel three times.Name:____________________DANGLING AND MISPLACED MODIFIERS QUIZDirections: In the blank beside each sentence, indicate whether that sentence contains a dangling modifier (DM) or a misplaced modifier (MM). 1. The car on the bridge which is green is mine.2. Expecting confusion, our plans were made.3. Feeling hot, sweaters were taken off.4. I showed my dog to the veterinarian with the fleas.5. Larry told me he was getting married that afternoon at night.6. This typewriter is used by a secretary with a wide carriage.7. Swimming out into the sea, the current grew stronger.8. Walking along the bridge, a ship suddenly appeared.9. The Honda was stalled on the road out of oil.10. He kept a black book of all the girls he had dated in his desk.11. On entering the room, the messages are easily seen.12. While at the park, the sun shone brightly on the sunbathers.13. Mary should jump at whatever is demanded quickly.14. He kept all his medicine in the medicine cabinet that had been prescribed for him. 15. When only a baby, Mom took me scuba diving.DANGLING AND MISPLACED MODIFIERS ANSWER KEY1. MM2. DM3. DM4. MM5. MM6. MM7. DM8. DM9. MM10. MM11. DM12. DM 13. MM14. MM15. DMName:_____________________MISPLACED MODIFIERS WORKSHEETMisplaced Modifiers are words or phrases that do not clearly point to the word or phrase they modify, in this way obscuring meaning. Ex. We were told at midnight the concert would begin.MM Correction: We were told the concert would begin at midnight.Write "C" if the modifier is correctly placed. Write "MM" if it is misplaced. Then, in the "MM" sentences, circle the modifier and draw an arrow to show where it should go.1. The man was stopped for speeding in the blue sweater.2. I almost saw the whole movie, but I fell asleep around midnight.3. Joe promised to mow the lawn running out the door.4. The initials were those of the lovers carved on the tree.5. There are only two parking spaces left in the lot.6. Every four hours the doctor told him to take a pill.7. Sitting on the porch, I smoked my last cigarette.8. The woman walked toward us wearing the feather hat.9. The jet crashed into a cliff carrying 155 passengers.10. I hardly ate any breakfast.11. I watched the mechanic fix the car with admiration.12. I earn fifty dollars a week scarcely.13. Reaching into the cupboard, I found the bag of cookies.14. We borrowed a mower from a neighbor that was broken.15. Climbing up the telephone pole, we saw a squirrel.MISPLACED MODIFIERS WORKSHEET ANSWER KEY1. MM man (in the blue sweater)2. MM saw (almost) the whole3. MM (Running out the door,) Joe4. MM initials (carved on the tree) were 5. C6. MM pill (every four hours.) 7. C8. MM woman (wearing the feathered hat)9. MM jet crashed (carrying 155 passengers) 10. MM ate (hardly) any 11. MM (With admiration,) I watched12. MM earn (scarcely) fifty13. C14. MM mower (that was broken)15. MM (We saw a squirrel) climbingName:______________________DANGLING MODIFIERS WORKSHEETDangling Modifiers are words or phrases that do not have a clear term to modify in a sentence. Often, they can be found at the beginning of sentences, though they can also appear at a sentence’s end. They frequently include an –ing word (gerund) and to + verb (infinitive) phrase near the start of a sentence.Ex. At the age of six, my mother sang hymns to me.DM Correction: When I was six, my mother sang hymns to me.Write "C" if the modifier is correctly placed. Draw one line under the dangling modifier in each of the following sentences.1. Driving in heavy traffic, my head started to ache.2. Fishing for trout, our boat tipped over.3. Crossing the border, my bags were searched.4. Searching my wallet, my driver's license was found.5. A shovel was used, building the sand castle.Write "DM" if the modifier is dangling or "C" if it has a subject to refer to and the sentence is correct. Underline the subject.1. Chasing his sister, Billy fell and bruised his knee.2. Feeling nervous, nails were bitten.3. Running scared, the cat climbed up the tree.4. Laughing hysterically, the joke was repeated.5. Slipping on the ice, her leg was broken.DANGLING MODIFIER WORKSHEET ANSWER KEY1. Driving in heavy traffic, my head started to ache.2. Fishing for trout, our boat tipped over.3. Crossing the border, my bags were searched.4. Searching my wallet, my driver's license was found.5. A shovel was used, building the sand castle.ANSWERS:1. C2. DM 3. C4. DM 5. C Teach a standard lesson on dangling/misplaced modifiers.(Attached is the worksheet to go over with the class)Demonstrate how to illustrate a dangling/misplaced modifier, emphasizing the humor of the sentence. MODIFIERS: MISPLACED AND DANGLING HANDOUTTHE ISSUEThe function of modifiers, adjectives and adverbs, is to enable you to express your ideasclearly and precisely by making some aspect of a statement more specific, to define it moreprecisely.The man who just walked by is my brother.(adjective)He walked as if his feet hurt.(adverb)Obviously, if adverbs and adjectives are to do their jobs, they must be used correctly. Or, toturn the situation around, if readers of your prose have to work to figure out which segmentsof your statements you are trying to modify, you are not communicating very well with them.THE RULESAdjectives automatically modify the noun, pronoun or phrase they are physically closestto. So, all other things being equal, you'll want to place your adjectives immediatelybefore or after the word(s) they are intended to make more specific.Adverbs have more freedom to move around in sentences, but, again, you need to watchfor points where they are ambiguous or clearly misplaced.With these simple guidelines in mind, let's consider some typical problems.TYPICAL PROBLEMSMISPLACED MOFDIFIERSSamples of misplaced modifiers periodically circulate through e-mail, purportedly examplesof prose taken from police or insurance reports. In the following examples of misplacedmodifiers, the adjective (in boldface) currently modifies the noun it is closest to (underlined).Fixing the problem, as you can see, requires getting it closer to the word it is actuallyintended to specify.Misplaced BetterA large painting attracts the visitor's eye on A large painting on the west wall attractsthe west wall.the visitor’s eye.We bought gas in Joseph at a small countryAt a small country store in Joseph, we store that costs $4 a gallon.Bought gas that cost $4 a gallon.When fried, I like okra. I like okra when fried.DANGLING MODIFIERSDangling modifiers are so called because they are modifiers (usually adjectives) that do notobviously and logically refer to a word or phrase in the sentence, or to a noun or pronoun inthe form that it appears in the sentence.Arriving home exhausted, a beer and bed were the only things on his mind.Having flunked two tests, the best option was to drop the class.Forced to leave the country, exile was Marsha's fate for the next seven years.The evening was fun, playing video games and listening to rap.Dangling modifiers are often found at the beginnings of sentences (as is the case of the firstthree examples above), and they are most often phrases that begin with verbals (true of allthese examples). Since verbals have their roots in verbs, they lull language users intoassuming they are functioning in these sentences as verbs, which is not the case.Verbals:seeing (present participle)seen (past participle)to see (infinitive)Verbal phrases functioning as adjectives:Seeing Sally, John ran to greet her.Seen at a distance, Gerry looks like Paul McCartney.To see the parade better, the little boy climbed onto his father's shoulders.Each of the boldfaced phrases in these various sentences is functioning as an adjective. Theadjectival function of these phrases becomes more obvious when they are placed after thenoun they currently modify.John, seeing Sally, ran to greet her.Gerry, seen at a distance, looks like Paul McCartney.The little boy, to see the parade better, climbed onto his father's shoulders.Using this same strategy of placing the adjectival phrase after the noun it modifies nicelypoints up the problem with dangling modifiers.A beer and bed, arriving home exhausted, were the only things on his mind.The best option, having flunked two tests, was to drop the class.Exile, forced to leave the country, was Marsha's fate for the next seven years.The evening, playing video games and listening to rap, was fun.There are two possible ways to fix dangling modifiers:(1) Revise the sentence so that the appropriate noun (or pronoun) is expressed in thesentence, and comes immediately after the opening phrase.(2) Revise the phrase as a clause, turning the verbal into a finite verb with its own subject.Dangling Noun expressed Phrase to clauseArriving home exhausted,Arriving home exhausted,When Same arriveda beer and bed were theSam could think only of a home exhausted, a only things on his mind.beer and bed.beer and bed were theonly things on his mind.Having flunked two tests,Having flunked two tests,After I flunked twothe best option was to drop I decided my best option tests, the best option the class. was to drop the class.Was to drop the class.Forced to leave the Forced to leave the After Marsha was forcedcountry, exile was country, Marsha lived in to leave the country, sheMarsha's fate for the next exile for the next seven spent the next seven yearsseven years. years.in exile.The evening was fun, Playing video games and The evening was fun; weplaying video games and listening to rap, we had played video games andlistening to rap. fun that evening. listened to rap.THE PLIGHT OF POOR "ONLY"The problemOnly can function as an adjective or an adverb, depending on the word it is intended torestrict. These days it is commonplace to see only misused, typically restricting a verb whenthe writer obviously intends another word to be restricted:He only drank three beers.As the sentence now stands, it tells us that he drank the beers rather than pouring them over the heads of his friends or putting them in the fridge. The writer obviously meant:He drank only three beers.In other words, the writer wanted to restrict the adjective three.Fixing the problemWhenever you use the word only, BE SURE you put it IMMEDIATELY IN FRONT OF theword(s) you wish to limit (boldfaced in the following examples):Only Peter and Paul went to Spanish class yesterday.Sally only threatened to call the cops.She did well on only one part of the text.She left home with only a backpack.P.S. What has just been said about only applies also to these limiting words: just, even,hardly, nearly, merely.Descriptive Essay CriteriaFor the descriptive essay, you must write a minimum of three pages (double spaced, 12 pt. font, Times-Roman) on an event that happened in your life. The topic must be approved before the given date:_________. In the descriptive essay you must be able to show a good understanding a descriptive language as well as grammar usage. Dialogue must be present within the essay. The rough draft will be due: _______. The due date of the paper is: _______. Review the following rubric as this is how your essay will be graded.Content (40 pts)There is a story that is told descriptively and interestingly. Thoughts are well-thought out and there is no confusion to the reader. Information is relevant to the story.Structure (10 pts)The essay is easy to follow; there is an introduction, body paragraphs and conclusion. The flow of the sentences and paragraphs fit well with the content.Dialogue (5pts)Dialogue is used correctly and student shows an understanding of it.Grammar (15 pts)Few mechanical errors; doesn’t cause readers to misunderstand content.Outline (15 pts)Student has completed some work towards the descriptive essay. It is well-structured and some ideas of what are being put into the essay. Student worked with others for ideas on essay.Rough Draft (15 pts)Student was present for rough draft work days and cooperated with others. There is a majority of the essay complete and shows a clear understanding of what is needed in a descriptive paper. ................
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