Definitions
What is a modifier?
A modifier is a word or phrases that modifies or changes the meaning of another word or phrase.
Before he washed the dishes, the cat jumped onto Bill’s lap.
The cat jumped onto Bill's lap before he could wash the dishes.
What is the modifier in this sentence:
They were talking loudly.
They were talking LOUDLY.
Why are misplaced and dangling modifiers problematic?
They make sentences sound awkward or confusing.
Name the error in this sentence:
I am the point of contact for all sales inquiries; i am happy to help customers.
There is a capitalization error.
The "i" should be "I."
What is a misplaced modifier?
A misplaced modifier is a one that is not in the right place in a sentence (it is modifying the "wrong" part of the sentence).
After sleeping, the snow began to fall so Mary checked outside.
Mary checked outside when she woke up because it had started snowing during the night.
What is the modifier in this sentence:
The red hat was for sale.
The RED hat was for sale.
How can you fix a misplaced modifier?
Rearrange the sentence to keep the modifier as close as possible to the word/phrase it modifies.
Name the error in this sentence:
Some accomplishments I have are graduating from KPU.
This is an error with subject-verb agreement.
An accomplishment I have is ...
OR
Some accomplishments I have are X and Y.
What is a dangling modifier?
A dangling modifier happens when a modifier describes a word that does not appear in a sentence.
While they were out of town, the house was empty.
The house was empty while the owners were out of town.
What is the modifier in this sentence:
Only Jessica wants pizza.
ONLY Jessica wants pizza.
How can you fix a dangling modifier?
Add a subject to the sentence and revise the rest of the words accordingly.
Name the error in this sentence:
Working at ABC Company will not only allow myself to apply my skills in technology, it will give me an opportunity to further develop them.
This is an error with pronoun use.
The correct pronoun to use in this case is ME (objective pronoun), not myself (reflexive pronoun).
What is it called when a modifier has no subject to describe?
A dangling modifier
Before they played the game, the water bottles needed to be refilled.
The water bottles needed to be refilled before the team played the game.
What is the modifier in this sentence:
The student carefully proofread his assignment.
The student CAREFULLY proofread his assignment.
What are two causes of a run-on sentence?
1. Improper punctuation
2. Trying to include too many ideas in one sentence
Name the error in this sentence:
Students have opportunities to learn new writing skills in CMNS 1110, these will help them in their future careers.
This is a comma splice.
Two complete sentences cannot be connected with only a comma.
What is it called when a modifier is not placed correctly in a sentence?
A misplaced modifier
While watching the movie, the popcorn ran out.
Suzy ran out of popcorn while she was watching the movie.
What is the modifier in this sentence:
She studied in the library.
She studied IN THE LIBRARY.
What is a sentence fragment?
It is a clause (group of words) that fails to be a sentence because it is missing a subject, a verb, or a complete thought (independent clause).
Name the error in this sentence:
In CMNS 1110, students practice writing, learn document formatting, and get to work on their oral presentation skills.
This is an error with parallelism.
In CMNS 1110, students practice writING, learn document formattING, and try presentING.