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Misplaced modifiers

A misplaced modifieris a participial phrase orother modifier that comes before the subject, but does NOT refer to the subject. Look at this sentence:

Driving down the road, a herd of sheep suddenly crossed the road in front of Liza's car. (INCORRECT;)

This sentence is incorrect because it seems to say that a herd of sheep – rather than Liza – was driving down the road. The participial phrase is misplaced. The sentence could be corrected as shown:

As Liza was driving down the road, a herd of sheep suddenly crossed the road in front of her. (CORRECT),

This sentence now correctly has Liza in the driver's seat instead of the sheep.

The following sentence structures are often misplaced.

Present participle.Walking along the beach, theship was spotted by the men.

Correction: Walking along the beach, the men spotted the ship.

Past participle. Based on this study, the scientist could make several conclusions.

Correction: Based on this study, several conclusions could be made by the scientist.

Appositive. A resort city in Arkansas, the population of Hot Springs is about 35,000.

Correction: A resort city in Arkansas, Hot Springs has a population ofabout 35,000.

Reduced adjective clause. While peeling onions, his eyes began to water.

Correction: While he was peeling onions, his eyes began to water.

Adjective phrases. Warm and mild, everyone enjoys the climate of the Virgin Islands.

Correction: Everyone enjoys the warm, mild climate of the Virgin Islands.

Expressions with like or unlike. Like most cities, parking is a problem in San Francisco.

Correction: Like most cities, San Francisco has a parking problem

Structure items with misplaced modifiers are usually easy to spot. They generally consist of a modifying element at the beginning of the sentence followed by a comma, with the rest or most of the rest of the sentence missing. The answer choices tend to be long. To find the answer, you must decide what subject the modifier correctly refers to.

Examples:

Using a device called a cloud chamber, ____________

(A) experimental proof for the atomic theory was found by Robert Millikin.

(B) Robert Millikin's experimental proof for the atomic theory was found.

(C) Robert Millikin found experimental proof for the atomic theory.

(D) there was experimental proof found for the atomic theory by Robert Millikin.

Choices (A) and (B) are incorrect because the modifier (Using a device called a cloud chamber) could not logically refer to the subjects (experimental proof and Robert Millikin's experimental proof). (D) is incorrect because a modifier can never properly refer to the introductory words there or it.

1. Fearing economic hardship, _____

(A) many Ukrainians emigrated to other countries in the 1990s.

(B) emigration from Ukraine to other countries took place in the 1990s.

(C) it was in the 1990s that many Ukrainians emigrated to other countries.

(D) an emigration took place in the 1990s from Ukraine to other countries.

2. Rich and distinctive in flavor, ____

(A) there is in the United States a very important nut crop, the pecan.

(B) the most important nut crop in the United States, the pecan.

(C) farmers in the United States raise pecans, a very important nut crop.

(D) pecans are the most important nut crop in the United States.

3.____________ orbiting from 2.7 to 3.6 billion miles from the sun.

(A) The astronomer Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto in 1930

(B) Pluto was discovered by the astronomer Clyde Tombaugh in 1930

(C) It was in 1930 that the astronomer Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto

(D) The discovery of Pluto was made by Clyde Tombaugh in 1930

4. A popular instrument,____.

(A) only a limited role has been available to the accordion in classical music.

(B) there is only a limited role for the accordion in popular music.

(C) classical music provides only a limited role for the accordion.

(D) the accordion has played only a limited role in classical music.

Читайте також:

1. Identify and correct errors involving misplaced modifiers
2. Position of adverbial modifiers.

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