This document discusses misplaced modifiers and provides examples. A misplaced modifier is a word or phrase that is improperly separated from the word it is intended to modify, potentially changing the meaning of the sentence. The document identifies different types of misplaced modifiers including adjectives, adverbs, phrases, and clauses. It provides examples of misplaced modifiers and the corrections that involve repositioning the modifier closer to the word it is meant to modify. The document concludes with an exercise asking the reader to identify and correct misplaced modifiers in sample sentences.

1. Misplaced
Modifiers
Group IV

2. What is a Modifier?
It is a word or phrase that qualifies
(modifies) a word, phrase or
clause.
Types:
• adjectives (modify nouns and
pronouns)
• adverbs (modify verbs)
• modifier phrases (modify an
action or an actor)

3. What is a Misplaced Modifier?
• It is a word or word group whose
placement suggests that it
modifies one word or phrase when
it is intended to modify another. It
is improperly separated from the
word it modifies / describes.

4. Example:
• On her way home, Carmie found a
gold man’s watch.
Misplaced
Modifier

5. Correct:
• On her way home, Carmie found
a man’s gold watch.

6. Several Kinds
of
Misplaced Modifiers

7. MISPLACED
WORDS

8. Misplaced Adjectives
are incorrectly separated from
the nouns they modify and
almost always distort the
intended meaning.

9. Correct the error by placing the adjective next to the
noun it modifies.
Example:
Incorrect:
Corrected:

10. Placement of Adverbs
• can also change meaning in
sentences and also creates a
sentence whose meaning is highly
unlikely or completely ridiculous.

11. Example:
To repair the meaning, move the adverb slowly so that it
is near ate.
Incorrect:
Correct:

12. Incorrect:
Correct:
Example:

13. Phrases
Misplaced

14. Misplaced Phrases
• may cause a sentence to sound
awkward and may create a
meaning that does not make
sense.

15. Put the phrases next to the noun they are supposed
to modify.
Example:
Incorrect:
Corrected:

16. Example:
Incorrect:
Corrected:

17. Misplaced
Clauses

18. Misplaced Clauses
• may cause a sentence to
sound awkward and may
create a meaning that does not
make sense.

19. To fix the errors and clarify the meaning, put the
clauses next to the noun they are supposed to modify.
Example:
Incorrect:
Corrected:

20. Placing Modifiers Correctly
• Once you have identified a
modifier, you need to identify the
person, place or thing that it is
modifying. Modifiers usually have
to accompany the thing they are
modifying or go as close to it as
possible, or should be placed next
to the word it describes.

21. Let’s take a
TEST!

22. Rewrite each sentence, moving the misplaced
modifier in bold to its correct position.
1.) She served sandwiches to the children
on paper plates.
2.) The young girl was walking with the
dog in a short skirt.

23. 5.) Swinging wildly through the trees, the
children were delighted by the monkeys.
3.) At the carnival, clowns were handing
out toys to children in colorful paper
bags.
4.) Tommy with the red stripes is wearing
a shirt.

24. 1.) She served sandwiches on paper plates
to the children.
2.) The young girl in a short skirt was
walking with the dog.
ANSWERS:

25. 3.) At the carnival, clowns were handing out
toys in colorful paper bags to children.
5.) The children were delighted by the
monkeys, swinging wildly through the trees.
4.) Tommy is wearing a shirt with the
red stripes.