A Guide to Misplaced ModifiersBy Adeola Owokoniran

What is a Modifier?

0So 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.

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.

0For 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.

How to Identify a Misplaced Modifier

0To 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

0Example: “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”.

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

01)The child ate a cold dish for breakfast this morning.

OrThe child ate a dish of cold cereal for breakfast this morning.

Even More Work!

02)The torn student’s book lay on the desk.Or

The student’s torn book lay on the desk.

03)We ate the lunch we had brought slowly.Or

We slowly ate the lunch that we had brought.

Answers

01) The child ate a dish of cold cereal for breakfast this morning.

02) The student’s torn book lay on the desk. 03) We slowly ate the lunch that we had brought.

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