A modifier is a word that describes another word, like an adjective. A misplaced modifier is when the describing word is improperly separated from the word it modifies. To identify a misplaced modifier, analyze the sentence to see if the adjective properly describes the intended word. Examples are provided of sentences with misplaced modifiers and the corrected versions. Practice is recommended to improve identifying misplaced modifiers.

2. What is a Modifier?
0 So let's break it down, if you want to know about
misplaced modifier you have to know what a modifier
is first. In that case, a modifier is a word that is used to
describe another word, basically an adjective. I do not
know why they do not call it misplaced adjectives, but
hey, I do not work at Wake County Public School
System.

3. What is a Misplaced Modifier?
0 In short, a misplaced modifier is when a word or
phrase is improperly separated from the word it
describes.
0 For Example: “On her way home, Jan found an gold
man’s watch” unless your in New York your not going
to see a gold man, the correct way to put this sentence
is, “On her way home, Jan found a man’s gold watch”.
In this sentence gold is describing the watch, not the
man.

4. How to Identify a Misplaced
Modifier
0 To identify a misplaced modifier, really think about
the sentence, locate adjective and see what it was
trying to describe and if it doesn’t make sense you
know it’s a misplaced modifier
0 Example: “The young girl was walking the dog in a
short skirt” dogs in short skirts not very trendy these
day, is it, its supposed to be “ The young girl in a
short skirt was walking the dog”.

5. Ugh, More Work!
I know you already have enough work at school, but
practice makes perfect, so try these: which sentences
has a misplaced modifier
0 1)The child ate a cold dish for breakfast this morning.
Or
The child ate a dish of cold cereal for breakfast this
morning.

6. Even More Work!
0 2)The torn student’s book lay on the desk.
Or
The student’s torn book lay on the desk.
0 3)We ate the lunch we had brought slowly.
Or
We slowly ate the lunch that we had brought.

7. Answers
0 1) The child ate a dish of cold cereal for breakfast this
morning.
0 2) The student’s torn book lay on the desk.
0 3) We slowly ate the lunch that we had brought.

8. You do not have to be a bystander, call 1800-MODIFIER, and donate to save the
uneducated from these falling letters of doom.