Misplaced Modifiers
Misplaced Modifiers
Misplaced Modifiers
Play the quick video lesson HERE and click the upper left back arrow to return to this lesson.
Common Core Language Standard 1
Sometimes we just have to use “big words” to communicate exactly what we want to say. The grammatical term, modify, is one of those “big words” that we need to learn to be able to talk about language. Modify means a variety of things, including to describe, to talk about, to identify, to limit, to change, to add, and to restrict.
Today’s grammar and usage lesson is on misplaced modifiers. Remember that an adjective modifies a noun or pronoun and answers Which one? How many? or What kind? An adverb modifies a verb, an adjective, or an adverb and answers What degree? How? Where? or When?
Now let’s read the grammar and usage lesson and study the examples.
A misplaced modifier modifies something that the writer does not intend to modify because of its placement in the sentence. Place modifiers close to the words that they modify. Examples: I drank only water; I only drank water. In these sentences only is the modifier. These sentences have two different meanings. The first means that I drank nothing but water. The second means that all I did with the water was to drink it.
Now circle or highlight what is right and revise what is wrong according to grammar and usage lesson.
Practice: I dusted always on Tuesdays. No one else did that chore.
Let’s check the Practice Answers.
Grammar and Usage Practice Answers: I always dusted on Tuesdays. No one else did that chore.
Now let’s apply what we have learned.
Writing Application: Write two of your own sentences: the first with a misplaced adjective modifier and the second with that adjective modifier placed properly within the sentence.
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