Common Misplaced Modifier Examples for English Class

📚 Quick Study Guide

• 🔍 A misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that is improperly separated from the word it modifies / describes. Because of the separation, the modifier appears to modify something else in the sentence.
• 📝 Misplaced modifiers often cause confusion, ambiguity, and unintentionally humorous sentences.
• 💡 To fix a misplaced modifier, place it as close as possible to the word it is intended to modify.
• ✍️ Common types include misplaced adjectives, adverbs, prepositional phrases, and participial phrases.
• 🍎 Example: "Covered in chocolate, *I* ate the donuts." (Incorrect) should be "I ate the donuts covered in chocolate." (Correct).

🧪 Practice Quiz

1. Which of the following sentences contains a misplaced modifier?
   1. A. Running quickly, the dog caught the ball.
   2. B. The report that was carefully researched contained many errors.
   3. C. Covered in syrup, I ate the pancakes.
   4. D. After the rain, the rainbow appeared.
2. Identify the misplaced modifier in this sentence: "She served sandwiches to the children on paper plates."
   1. A. She served
   2. B. to the children
   3. C. on paper plates
   4. D. sandwiches
3. Which sentence corrects the misplaced modifier: "I saw a dog running down the street with one eye."
   1. A. Running down the street, I saw a dog with one eye.
   2. B. I saw a dog with one eye running down the street.
   3. C. With one eye, I saw a dog running down the street.
   4. D. Down the street, I saw a dog with one eye running.
4. Find the sentence with the misplaced modifier:
   1. A. He bought a car that was old and rusty.
   2. B. Walking through the park, I saw a squirrel.
   3. C. I almost ate the whole pizza.
   4. D. Dripping with honey, she ate the toast.
5. In the sentence: "They returned the merchandise that was damaged to the store," what is misplaced?
   1. A. They returned
   2. B. to the store
   3. C. that was damaged
   4. D. the merchandise
6. Which revision best corrects the following sentence? "The man was arrested who robbed the bank."
   1. A. The man who robbed the bank was arrested.
   2. B. The bank was robbed by the man who was arrested.
   3. C. Who robbed the bank, the man was arrested.
   4. D. Arrested was the man who robbed the bank.
7. Select the sentence that contains NO misplaced modifiers.
   1. A. I found my keys walking to school.
   2. B. Covered in mud, the car looked terrible.
   3. C. She wore a hat to the party with feathers.
   4. D. Excited about the trip, we packed our bags.