Misplaced and
Dangling Modifiers
What is a misplaced modifier?

Modifiers are words or word groups that describe other
words in a sentence. In the following sentence, the
words in bold modify woman.
The woman who is sitting by the door is my sister.

A misplaced modifier, because it is not correctly
placed, describes the wrong word or words:
INCORRECT Marcy saw the neighbor’s dog drinking a
cocktail.
CORRECT Drinking a cocktail, Marcy saw the
neighbor’s dog.
Four types of modifiers are often misplaced. (See
your textbook for more specific details.)




Modifiers such as only, almost, hardly, nearly, and
just.
Modifiers that start with –ing verbs, like playing,
dancing, driving, singing.
Modifiers that are prepositional phrases (phrases
that begin with prepositions like in, on, at,
around).
Modifying word groups that start with who,
whose, that, or which.
What is a dangling modifier?

A dangling modifier “dangles” because the
word or words it is supposed to describe are not
in the sentence.
INCORRECT Jogging in the park, a dog bit me.
[The dog wasn’t jogging in the park; the actual
jogger is missing from the sentence.]
CORRECT Jogging in the park, I got bitten by a
dog. OR While I was jogging in the park, a dog
bit me.
1. Choose the sentence that has no error.
A) The convict saw a large green cricket,
limping from the prison.
B) The convict saw a large green cricket
limping from the prison.
C) Limping from the prison, the convict saw
a large green cricket.
D) none of the above
1. Choose the sentence that has no error.
ANSWER:
A) The convict saw a large green cricket,
limping from the prison.
B) The convict saw a large green cricket
limping from the prison.
C) Limping from the prison, the convict
saw a large green cricket.
D) none of the above
2. Choose the sentence that has no error.
A) The only recipe calls for one cup of sugar.
B) Only the recipe calls for one cup of sugar.
C) The recipe calls for only one cup of sugar.
D) none of the above
2. Choose the sentence that has no error.
ANSWER:
A) The only recipe calls for one cup of sugar.
B) Only the recipe calls for one cup of sugar.
C) The recipe calls for only one cup of
sugar.
D) none of the above
3. Choose the sentence that has no error.
A) Walking into the classroom, laughter
burst from the students.
B) As the man in the ape suit walked into the
classroom, laughter burst from the
students.
C) Laughter burst from the students, walking
into the classroom.
D) none of the above
3. Choose the sentence that has no error.
ANSWER:
A) Walking into the classroom, laughter
burst from the students.
B) As the man in the ape suit walked into
the classroom, laughter burst from
the students.
C) Laughter burst from the students, walking
into the classroom.
4. Choose the sentence that has no error.
A) In my kitchen, I saw your ex-husband on
the TV watching the news.
B) While watching TV in my kitchen, I saw
on the news your ex-husband.
C) While watching TV in my kitchen, I saw
your ex-husband on the news.
D) none of the above
4. Choose the sentence that has no error.
ANSWER:
A) In my kitchen, I saw your ex-husband on
the TV watching the news.
B) While watching TV in my kitchen, I saw
on the news your ex-husband.
C) While watching TV in my kitchen, I
saw your ex-husband on the news.
D) none of the above
5. Choose the sentence that has no error.
A) Swimming at the beach, the water became
too rough and cold.
B) While we were swimming at the beach,
the water became too rough and cold.
C) At the beach swimming, the water
became too rough and cold.
D) none of the above
5. Choose the sentence that has no error.
ANSWER:
A) Swimming at the beach, the water became
too rough and cold.
B) While we were swimming at the
beach, the water became too rough
and cold.
C) At the beach swimming, the water
became too rough and cold.
6. Choose the sentence that has no error.
A) Searching under the seat cushions, Cal
found his car keys.
B) Cal found his car keys searching under the
seat cushions.
C) Under the seat cushions, Cal found his car
keys searching.
D) none of the above
6. Choose the sentence that has no error.
ANSWER:
A) Searching under the seat cushions,
Cal found his car keys.
B) Cal found his car keys searching under the
seat cushions.
C) Under the seat cushions, Cal found his car
keys searching.
D) none of the above
7. Choose the sentence that has no error.
A) Looking to earn extra money, second jobs
are being taken by some people.
B) Earning extra money, second jobs are
being taken by some people looking.
C) Second jobs are being taken by some
people earning extra money.
D) none of the above
7. Choose the sentence that has no error.
ANSWER:
A) Looking to earn extra money, second jobs are being
taken by some people.
B) Earning extra money, second jobs are being taken by
some people looking.
C) Second jobs are being taken by some people earning
extra money.
D) none of the above; the answer should be Looking
to earn extra money, some people take second
jobs.
8. Choose the sentence that has no error.
A) I think I saw a comet in the sky jogging
last night.
B) Jogging last night, I think I saw a comet in
the sky.
C) In the sky, I think I saw a comet jogging
last night.
D) none of the above
8. Choose the sentence that has no error.
ANSWER:
A) I think I saw a comet in the sky jogging
last night.
B) Jogging last night, I think I saw a
comet in the sky.
C) In the sky, I think I saw a comet jogging
last night.
D) none of the above
9. Choose the sentence that has no error.
A) Concerned about the dangerous weather,
we had to cancel the game.
B) Concerned about the dangerous weather,
the game had to be canceled.
C) The game had to be canceled, concerned
about the dangerous weather.
D) none of the above
9. Choose the sentence that has no error.
ANSWER:
A) Concerned about the dangerous
weather, we had to cancel the game.
B) Concerned about the dangerous weather,
the game had to be canceled.
C) The game had to be canceled, concerned
about the dangerous weather.
D) none of the above
10. Choose the sentence that has no error.
A) Making the best of a bad situation, the
power outage was a lot of fun.
B) The power outage was a lot of fun,
making the best of a bad situation.
C) Making the best of a bad situation, we had
a lot of fun during the power outage.
D) none of the above
10. Choose the sentence that has no error.
ANSWER:
A) Making the best of a bad situation, the
power outage was a lot of fun.
B) The power outage was a lot of fun,
making the best of a bad situation.
C) Making the best of a bad situation, we
had a lot of fun during the power
outage.