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07.11.2025
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Perrypracticingwithpronouns.docx
modifierrules_1__3_.pdf

Perrypracticingwithpronouns.docx

practice with modifiers and pronouns

· Submitting a text entry box or a file upload

· Available until Nov 7 at 11:55pm

Just like subjects and verbs need to agree, we need to have agreement and clear lines of communication between

1) a pronoun and the noun that it speaks for

2) a modifier and whatever it modifies

The attached documents will help you to understand the basic definitions and issues related to pronouns and modifiers, but here are some initial thoughts:

* you should be able to draw a line from a pronoun to the noun that it modifies, and there should be nothing "under" that line that might cause any confusion as to what the pronoun modifies: Philip and Chuck went to his house and ate chips. What does "his" modify? It is unclear. We would likely need to substitute "his" for one of the names.

* a pronoun should refer to a noun that is not too far, typically no more than one sentence away: Philiphas a great car. The neighborhood is a bad one with lots of auto theft and some vandalism every week, no matter how many police cars patrol the neighborhood. He locks his car if he walks away even for a minute. Notice that "he" loses some of its clarity based on the separation of the pronoun from the noun. The reader can easily get confused with pronouns!

* pronouns need to agree with each other and with the relevant noun: Lisa locked his car on theirdriveway. The problem with "his" and "their" is that neither pronoun agrees with Lisa. Unless you clarify the relevant nouns in the sentence just prior to this one the, reader will likely struggle to map everything together. Do we really mean, "Lisa locked her car on her driveway?"

* modifiers need to clearly map to the part of speech that they modify and do so without any separation or chance for confusion: I drove the bus into the garage looking behind me and in reverse. The second piece in brown is extra information, a modifying phrase, that adds to "drove the bus," telling the reader how the writer drove. That's what modifiers do! However, the separation between the modifier and the part of speech that it modifies could cause confusion. The garage did not look behind me or reverse! It would be better to put the modifier RIGHT NEXT to what it modifies: "I drove the bus, looking behind me and in reverse, into the garage."

* modifiers need to modify something in the sentence or they shouldn't be there: Looking both ways, the house was still. What does "looking both ways" modify? I would need to clarify or cut out the modifier: Looking both ways, Chris saw that the house was still.

Please correct the following sentences for the pronoun or modifier issues that we have been discussing, assuming that there are no sentences before the ones that you see (nothing to clarify what a pronoun might refer to):

1) The sharks swim in circles with black on their fins.

2) Everyone wants their cake with ice cream.

3) Cutting the grass, the yard looked wonderful.

4) Polite and demure, the sky above the house opened in a flood.

5) Thomas drives the car down the road with their pot holes.

6) I read the newspaper for their words of wisdom.

7) Someone at the store left their umbrella.

8) Jen drives his car to their house.

9) The radio blares through the whole house with the broken dial.

10) Airplanes land at all hours of the night on the runway.

modifierrules_1__3_.pdf

RULES FOR FINDING AND

FIXING MISPLACED AND

DANGLING MODIFIERS

Understand the problem.

Think of modifiers as arrows and the words they describe as bull's-eyes. For clear,

logical sentences, writers aim modifiers so that they strike as close to the intended

targets as possible.

Sneering with superiority, Roland drank iced tea from a crystal glass that sparkled in the afternoon sun.

Sneering with superiority, a participle phrase, describes Roland, the noun right

after it. That sparkled in the afternoon sun, a relative clause, describes glass, the

noun in front.

RECOGNIZING A MISPLACED MODIFIER

When a writer's aim is off and too much distance separates the modifier from its

target, the result is a misplaced modifier.

Sucking warm water from a rubber hose, envious looks were shot Roland's way as the other picnickers quenched their own thirst.

Sucking warm water from a rubber hose, a participle phrase, should

describe picnickers, but since that noun is so far away, the phrase seems to be

modifying envious looks, which don't have mouths that can suck water!

RECOGNIZING A DANGLING MODIFIER

If the sentence fails to include a target, the modifier is dangling.

With a sigh of pleasure , consumption of cucumber sandwiches commenced.

http://chompchomp.com/terms/modifier.htm

http://chompchomp.com/terms/participlephrase.htm

http://chompchomp.com/terms/noun.htm

http://chompchomp.com/terms/relativeclause.htm

http://chompchomp.com/terms/misplacedmodifer.htm

http://chompchomp.com/terms/danglingmodifer.htm

We assume that Roland is the one sighing with pleasure and eating cucumber

sandwiches, but notice that he's not in the sentence, so we can't tell for sure!

Know the solution.

Misplaced and dangling modifiers make sentences awkward and inelegant. They keep

sentences from expressing clear, straightforward ideas. When you discover a

misplaced or dangling modifier in a sentence, you will need to rearrange and/or

revise the sentence parts to untangle the idea the sentence wants to express.

FIXING MISPLACED MODIFIERS

Rearranging sentence parts will often fix a misplaced modifier. Remember that

most modifiers come as close to their targets as possible.

Here is the original error:

Sucking warm water from a rubber hose, envious looks were shot Roland's way as the other picnickers quenched their own thirst.

If we move things around, the modifier hits the right target:

Sucking warm water from a rubber hose, the other picnickers quenched their own thirst as they shot envious looks Roland's way.

Now we have picnickers drinking from the rubber hose, which is clear and

logical!

FIXING DANGLING MODIFIERS

To fix a dangling modifier, you will need to add a target to the sentence and then

tweak the remaining words to make sense.

Here is the original error without a logical target:

With a sigh of pleasure , consumption of cucumber sandwiches commenced.

Notice that the addition of a target makes the sentence clear:

With a sigh of pleasure, Roland began to consume cucumber sandwiches.

After Roland sighed with pleasure, he began to consume cucumber sandwiches.

Now we know who got to eat that delicious snack!

modifierrules_1__3_.pdf

RULES FOR FINDING AND

FIXING MISPLACED AND

DANGLING MODIFIERS

Understand the problem.

Think of modifiers as arrows and the words they describe as bull's-eyes. For clear,

logical sentences, writers aim modifiers so that they strike as close to the intended

targets as possible.

Sneering with superiority, Roland drank iced tea from a crystal glass that sparkled in the afternoon sun.

Sneering with superiority, a participle phrase, describes Roland, the noun right

after it. That sparkled in the afternoon sun, a relative clause, describes glass, the

noun in front.

RECOGNIZING A MISPLACED MODIFIER

When a writer's aim is off and too much distance separates the modifier from its

target, the result is a misplaced modifier.

Sucking warm water from a rubber hose, envious looks were shot Roland's way as the other picnickers quenched their own thirst.

Sucking warm water from a rubber hose, a participle phrase, should

describe picnickers, but since that noun is so far away, the phrase seems to be

modifying envious looks, which don't have mouths that can suck water!

RECOGNIZING A DANGLING MODIFIER

If the sentence fails to include a target, the modifier is dangling.

With a sigh of pleasure , consumption of cucumber sandwiches commenced.

http://chompchomp.com/terms/modifier.htm

http://chompchomp.com/terms/participlephrase.htm

http://chompchomp.com/terms/noun.htm

http://chompchomp.com/terms/relativeclause.htm

http://chompchomp.com/terms/misplacedmodifer.htm

http://chompchomp.com/terms/danglingmodifer.htm

We assume that Roland is the one sighing with pleasure and eating cucumber

sandwiches, but notice that he's not in the sentence, so we can't tell for sure!

Know the solution.

Misplaced and dangling modifiers make sentences awkward and inelegant. They keep

sentences from expressing clear, straightforward ideas. When you discover a

misplaced or dangling modifier in a sentence, you will need to rearrange and/or

revise the sentence parts to untangle the idea the sentence wants to express.

FIXING MISPLACED MODIFIERS

Rearranging sentence parts will often fix a misplaced modifier. Remember that

most modifiers come as close to their targets as possible.

Here is the original error:

Sucking warm water from a rubber hose, envious looks were shot Roland's way as the other picnickers quenched their own thirst.

If we move things around, the modifier hits the right target:

Sucking warm water from a rubber hose, the other picnickers quenched their own thirst as they shot envious looks Roland's way.

Now we have picnickers drinking from the rubber hose, which is clear and

logical!

FIXING DANGLING MODIFIERS

To fix a dangling modifier, you will need to add a target to the sentence and then

tweak the remaining words to make sense.

Here is the original error without a logical target:

With a sigh of pleasure , consumption of cucumber sandwiches commenced.

Notice that the addition of a target makes the sentence clear:

With a sigh of pleasure, Roland began to consume cucumber sandwiches.

After Roland sighed with pleasure, he began to consume cucumber sandwiches.

Now we know who got to eat that delicious snack!

Perrypracticingwithpronouns.docx

practice with modifiers and pronouns

· Submitting a text entry box or a file upload

· Available until Nov 7 at 11:55pm

Just like subjects and verbs need to agree, we need to have agreement and clear lines of communication between

1) a pronoun and the noun that it speaks for

2) a modifier and whatever it modifies

The attached documents will help you to understand the basic definitions and issues related to pronouns and modifiers, but here are some initial thoughts:

1) The sharks swim in circles with black on their fins.

2) Everyone wants their cake with ice cream.

3) Cutting the grass, the yard looked wonderful.

4) Polite and demure, the sky above the house opened in a flood.

5) Thomas drives the car down the road with their pot holes.

6) I read the newspaper for their words of wisdom.

7) Someone at the store left their umbrella.

8) Jen drives his car to their house.

9) The radio blares through the whole house with the broken dial.

10) Airplanes land at all hours of the night on the runway.

modifierrules_1__3_.pdf

RULES FOR FINDING AND

FIXING MISPLACED AND

DANGLING MODIFIERS

Understand the problem.

Think of modifiers as arrows and the words they describe as bull's-eyes. For clear,

logical sentences, writers aim modifiers so that they strike as close to the intended

targets as possible.

Sneering with superiority, Roland drank iced tea from a crystal glass that sparkled in the afternoon sun.

Sneering with superiority, a participle phrase, describes Roland, the noun right

after it. That sparkled in the afternoon sun, a relative clause, describes glass, the

noun in front.

RECOGNIZING A MISPLACED MODIFIER

When a writer's aim is off and too much distance separates the modifier from its

target, the result is a misplaced modifier.

Sucking warm water from a rubber hose, envious looks were shot Roland's way as the other picnickers quenched their own thirst.

Sucking warm water from a rubber hose, a participle phrase, should

describe picnickers, but since that noun is so far away, the phrase seems to be

modifying envious looks, which don't have mouths that can suck water!

RECOGNIZING A DANGLING MODIFIER

If the sentence fails to include a target, the modifier is dangling.

With a sigh of pleasure , consumption of cucumber sandwiches commenced.

http://chompchomp.com/terms/modifier.htm

http://chompchomp.com/terms/participlephrase.htm

http://chompchomp.com/terms/noun.htm

http://chompchomp.com/terms/relativeclause.htm

http://chompchomp.com/terms/misplacedmodifer.htm

http://chompchomp.com/terms/danglingmodifer.htm

We assume that Roland is the one sighing with pleasure and eating cucumber

sandwiches, but notice that he's not in the sentence, so we can't tell for sure!

Know the solution.

Misplaced and dangling modifiers make sentences awkward and inelegant. They keep

sentences from expressing clear, straightforward ideas. When you discover a

misplaced or dangling modifier in a sentence, you will need to rearrange and/or

revise the sentence parts to untangle the idea the sentence wants to express.

FIXING MISPLACED MODIFIERS

Rearranging sentence parts will often fix a misplaced modifier. Remember that

most modifiers come as close to their targets as possible.

Here is the original error:

Sucking warm water from a rubber hose, envious looks were shot Roland's way as the other picnickers quenched their own thirst.

If we move things around, the modifier hits the right target:

Sucking warm water from a rubber hose, the other picnickers quenched their own thirst as they shot envious looks Roland's way.

Now we have picnickers drinking from the rubber hose, which is clear and

logical!

FIXING DANGLING MODIFIERS

To fix a dangling modifier, you will need to add a target to the sentence and then

tweak the remaining words to make sense.

Here is the original error without a logical target:

With a sigh of pleasure , consumption of cucumber sandwiches commenced.

Notice that the addition of a target makes the sentence clear:

With a sigh of pleasure, Roland began to consume cucumber sandwiches.

After Roland sighed with pleasure, he began to consume cucumber sandwiches.

Now we know who got to eat that delicious snack!

Perrypracticingwithpronouns.docx

practice with modifiers and pronouns

· Submitting a text entry box or a file upload

· Available until Nov 7 at 11:55pm

Just like subjects and verbs need to agree, we need to have agreement and clear lines of communication between

1) a pronoun and the noun that it speaks for

2) a modifier and whatever it modifies

The attached documents will help you to understand the basic definitions and issues related to pronouns and modifiers, but here are some initial thoughts:

1) The sharks swim in circles with black on their fins.

2) Everyone wants their cake with ice cream.

3) Cutting the grass, the yard looked wonderful.

4) Polite and demure, the sky above the house opened in a flood.

5) Thomas drives the car down the road with their pot holes.

6) I read the newspaper for their words of wisdom.

7) Someone at the store left their umbrella.

8) Jen drives his car to their house.

9) The radio blares through the whole house with the broken dial.

10) Airplanes land at all hours of the night on the runway.

modifierrules_1__3_.pdf

RULES FOR FINDING AND

FIXING MISPLACED AND

DANGLING MODIFIERS

Understand the problem.

Think of modifiers as arrows and the words they describe as bull's-eyes. For clear,

logical sentences, writers aim modifiers so that they strike as close to the intended

targets as possible.

Sneering with superiority, Roland drank iced tea from a crystal glass that sparkled in the afternoon sun.

Sneering with superiority, a participle phrase, describes Roland, the noun right

after it. That sparkled in the afternoon sun, a relative clause, describes glass, the

noun in front.

RECOGNIZING A MISPLACED MODIFIER

When a writer's aim is off and too much distance separates the modifier from its

target, the result is a misplaced modifier.

Sucking warm water from a rubber hose, envious looks were shot Roland's way as the other picnickers quenched their own thirst.

Sucking warm water from a rubber hose, a participle phrase, should

describe picnickers, but since that noun is so far away, the phrase seems to be

modifying envious looks, which don't have mouths that can suck water!

RECOGNIZING A DANGLING MODIFIER

If the sentence fails to include a target, the modifier is dangling.

With a sigh of pleasure , consumption of cucumber sandwiches commenced.

http://chompchomp.com/terms/modifier.htm

http://chompchomp.com/terms/participlephrase.htm

http://chompchomp.com/terms/noun.htm

http://chompchomp.com/terms/relativeclause.htm

http://chompchomp.com/terms/misplacedmodifer.htm

http://chompchomp.com/terms/danglingmodifer.htm

We assume that Roland is the one sighing with pleasure and eating cucumber

sandwiches, but notice that he's not in the sentence, so we can't tell for sure!

Know the solution.

Misplaced and dangling modifiers make sentences awkward and inelegant. They keep

sentences from expressing clear, straightforward ideas. When you discover a

misplaced or dangling modifier in a sentence, you will need to rearrange and/or

revise the sentence parts to untangle the idea the sentence wants to express.

FIXING MISPLACED MODIFIERS

Rearranging sentence parts will often fix a misplaced modifier. Remember that

most modifiers come as close to their targets as possible.

Here is the original error:

Sucking warm water from a rubber hose, envious looks were shot Roland's way as the other picnickers quenched their own thirst.

If we move things around, the modifier hits the right target:

Sucking warm water from a rubber hose, the other picnickers quenched their own thirst as they shot envious looks Roland's way.

Now we have picnickers drinking from the rubber hose, which is clear and

logical!

FIXING DANGLING MODIFIERS

To fix a dangling modifier, you will need to add a target to the sentence and then

tweak the remaining words to make sense.

Here is the original error without a logical target:

With a sigh of pleasure , consumption of cucumber sandwiches commenced.

Notice that the addition of a target makes the sentence clear:

With a sigh of pleasure, Roland began to consume cucumber sandwiches.

After Roland sighed with pleasure, he began to consume cucumber sandwiches.

Now we know who got to eat that delicious snack!

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