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Quizzes > High School Quizzes > English Language Arts

Misplaced Modifiers Practice Quiz

Boost Writing Clarity With Practical Grammar Exercises

Difficulty: Moderate
Grade: Grade 8
Study OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art depicting a trivia quiz on Modifier Mayhem for high school students.

Identify the sentence that contains a misplaced modifier.
Walking through the park, the flowers were beautiful.
I walked through the park and admired the beautiful flowers.
Walking through the park, I admired the beautiful flowers.
The beautiful flowers were admired during my walk in the park.
The sentence in option A uses the introductory phrase 'Walking through the park' inappropriately, making it seem as though the flowers are doing the walking. The other sentences correctly associate the action with the proper subject.
Select the best revision for the sentence: 'She nearly drove her kids to school every day in her car.'
She nearly drove her kids every day to school in her car.
She drove her kids nearly every day to school in her car.
Every day, she nearly drove her kids to school in her car.
In her car, she nearly drove her kids to school every day.
Placing 'nearly' immediately before 'every day' clarifies that the frequency of driving is in question, not the act itself. Option B corrects the modifier's placement for a clearer meaning.
What is a misplaced modifier?
A phrase that accurately describes a noun.
An unnecessary embellishment in a sentence.
A modifier placed far from the word it describes, causing ambiguity.
A modifier that always comes directly before the word it describes.
A misplaced modifier occurs when a descriptive phrase is not placed next to the word it is intended to modify, leading to ambiguity. Option A offers the most precise definition.
The sentence 'After reading the book, the movie was watched by nearly everyone' contains a misplaced modifier. Which revision corrects the error?
Nearly everyone, after reading the book, watched the movie.
After reading the book, nearly everyone watched the movie.
After the movie, nearly everyone read the book.
The book was read, and nearly everyone watched the movie after.
Option A assigns the introductory phrase 'After reading the book' to 'nearly everyone,' making it clear who completed the action. This revision removes the ambiguity present in the original sentence.
Which sentence is free of misplaced modifiers?
After dinner, homework was done by him.
Only after dinner, he did the homework.
He did his homework only after dinner.
He only did his homework after dinner.
Option B clearly indicates that the homework was completed after dinner, leaving no room for ambiguity. The placement of 'only after dinner' directly after the subject and verb improves clarity.
Identify the misplaced modifier in the following sentence: 'Walking on the treadmill, the weight loss was significant.'
on the treadmill
was significant
the weight loss
Walking on the treadmill
The introductory phrase 'Walking on the treadmill' is incorrectly linked to 'the weight loss' instead of a person. This misplacement creates confusion about which noun is performing the action.
In the sentence 'While reading the article, the error was spotted,' what is the best revision to correct the misplaced modifier?
While reading the article, the error was spotted.
While I was reading the article, I spotted the error.
The article was read while the error was spotted.
The error, while reading the article, was spotted.
Introducing the subject 'I' in the revision clarifies who was performing the action. Option B correctly assigns the modifier to the proper subject, eliminating ambiguity.
Which revised sentence properly places the modifier in: 'Covered in dust, the old books on the shelf fascinated Tim'?
Covered in dust, Tim was fascinated by the old books on the shelf.
The old books on the shelf, covered in dust, fascinated Tim.
The books fascinated Tim, covered in dust on the shelf.
Tim, fascinated by the old books, covered in dust on the shelf.
Option A correctly positions 'covered in dust' next to 'the old books on the shelf', which makes it clear that it is the books that are dusty. This precise placement removes any ambiguity about the subject.
What is the primary problem with a misplaced modifier in a sentence?
It provides extra, unneeded detail.
It causes ambiguity by connecting descriptive phrases to the wrong word.
It unnecessarily lengthens the sentence.
It weakens the overall tone of the sentence.
Misplaced modifiers lead to ambiguity because they can attach to an incorrect noun or verb, resulting in a confusing sentence structure. Option A succinctly captures this core issue.
Which revision of the sentence 'Wearing a cape, the teacher taught the class' best corrects the misplaced modifier?
The teacher taught the class while wearing a cape.
While the class was taught, the teacher wore a cape.
The class was taught, wearing a cape, by the teacher.
Wearing a cape, the class was taught by the teacher.
By rearranging the sentence so that 'wearing a cape' immediately follows the subject 'the teacher', option A makes it clear who is performing the action. This eliminates any ambiguity regarding the modifier's referent.
Which sentence corrects the error in 'Barking loudly, the door was opened by the dog'?
Barking loudly, the dog opened the door.
The door opened by the barking dog.
The dog, barking loudly, opened the door.
Barking loudly, the door was opened by the dog.
Option B clearly ties the modifier 'barking loudly' to 'the dog', the correct subject responsible for the action. This revision removes the ambiguity present in the original sentence.
Which sentence revision best eliminates ambiguity in: 'After finishing the assignment, the computer was turned off'?
After finishing it, the assignment led to the computer being turned off.
After finishing the assignment, the computer turned itself off.
I turned off the computer after finishing the assignment.
The computer was turned off after the assignment was finished.
Option A assigns a clear subject ('I') to the sentence, which clarifies who completed the action. This correction removes the misplaced modifier and the resulting ambiguity in the original sentence.
Identify the misplaced modifier error in the sentence 'She served to the guests a delicious meal cooked by her chef.'
cooked by her chef
She served to the guests
to the guests
a delicious meal
The phrase 'to the guests' is awkwardly positioned, disrupting the link between 'a delicious meal' and 'cooked by her chef.' Moving 'to the guests' to the end would clarify the intended meaning.
How does rearranging a modifier in a sentence improve clarity?
It reduces the overall descriptive content in the sentence.
It shifts the focus away from the subject entirely.
It ensures that the modifier is adjacent to the word it describes, creating a clear connection.
It changes the sentence's length and complexity.
Rearranging the modifier so that it sits immediately next to the word it is meant to modify drastically reduces ambiguity. This clear association is key to effective writing.
Which sentence demonstrates effective placement of modifiers when listing multiple items?
She served sweet fruit, warm sandwiches, and refreshing juice.
She served fruit that was sweet, sandwiches that were warm, and juice that was refreshing.
She served fruit, sandwiches, and juice, all of which were described as sweet, warm, and refreshing.
Sweet fruit, sandwiches, and juice were served warm and refreshing.
Option A attaches a specific descriptive clause to each item, ensuring that the qualities of each are clearly identified. This precision avoids ambiguity in a list format.
Which sentence best corrects the misplaced modifier in the following sentence: 'After writing the report, the meeting was scheduled by the manager who needed revisions'?
After writing the report, revisions were needed for the meeting scheduled by the manager.
The meeting was scheduled by the manager after writing the report.
The manager, after writing the report, scheduled the meeting because revisions were needed.
After writing the report, the meeting was held with revisions scheduled by the manager.
Option A correctly connects the introductory phrase to the manager, clearly indicating who wrote the report. This revision resolves the misplaced modifier and clarifies the sentence's meaning.
Identify the error in the sentence 'Flying high, the controls of the plane were adjusted by the pilot' and choose the best correction.
The controls of the plane, flying high, were adjusted by the pilot.
Flying high, adjustments were made by the pilot to the controls of the plane.
The pilot, flying high, adjusted the controls of the plane.
Flying high, the controls of the plane were adjusted by the pilot.
The error is that the modifier 'flying high' is incorrectly attached to 'the controls.' Option C corrects this by linking 'flying high' with 'the pilot,' which is the intended subject of the action.
In a sentence with complex structure, how can one avoid misplaced modifiers effectively?
By placing the subject at the end of the sentence.
By rearranging the sentence to remove all modifiers.
By adding extra adjectives to clarify the sentence.
By placing the modifier as close as possible to the word it describes.
Positioning the modifier right next to the word it intends to describe is the most effective way to avoid ambiguity. This approach ensures that the sentence's meaning is communicated clearly.
What revision best clarifies the sentence 'Sitting in the garden, the aroma of the flowers was enjoyed by the students'?
The aroma of the flowers was enjoyed by the students sitting in the garden.
The students, sitting in the garden, enjoyed the aroma of the flowers.
Sitting in the garden, the aroma of the flowers filled the air for the students.
Sitting in the garden, the students enjoyed the aroma of the flowers.
Option A correctly assigns the introductory modifier 'Sitting in the garden' to 'the students,' clarifying who is performing the action. This eliminates the confusion present in the original construction.
Which of the following sentences most effectively eliminates distracting modifiers and maintains a clear subject-verb relationship?
John reviewed his homework carefully and found mistakes.
After carefully reviewing his homework, mistakes were found.
Carefully reviewing his homework, mistakes came to John's attention.
After carefully reviewing his homework, John found mistakes.
Option A positions the modifier directly next to the subject 'John,' clearly indicating that he is the one who reviewed his homework. This placement maintains a strong subject-verb connection and eliminates ambiguity.
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Study Outcomes

  1. Identify misplaced modifiers in various sentence constructions.
  2. Analyze sentence structure to locate errors related to modifier placement.
  3. Correct misplaced modifiers to enhance sentence clarity and coherence.
  4. Apply grammatical principles to evaluate and improve language arts exam responses.

Misplaced Modifiers Worksheet Cheat Sheet

  1. Spotting misplaced modifiers - A misplaced modifier is a word or phrase that's wandered too far from what it's supposed to describe, turning your sentence into a game of "who did what?" For instance, "She served sandwiches to the children on paper plates" sounds like the kids are perched on plates! Keep your modifiers close to their buddies for crystal-clear meaning. Scribbr: Misplaced Modifiers
  2. Avoiding ambiguous meanings - When modifiers wander, they create delightful confusion (or accidental comedy!). "I saw the man with binoculars" could mean you used binoculars or the man owned them. By saying "With binoculars, I saw the man," you banish ambiguity and sound like a writing ninja. Grammarly: Misplaced Modifiers
  3. Mastering limiting modifiers - Words like "only," "just," and "almost" love to hide the real meaning if they're in the wrong spot. "She only eats vegetables" implies the veggies do all the work, while "She eats only vegetables" tells us her diet is plant-powered. Get these tiny troublemakers next to their targets for precise power. GrammarBook: Misplaced Modifiers
  4. Repositioning for clarity - Fixing misplaced modifiers is like sliding puzzle pieces back into place. "The waiter served a steak to the guest that was medium rare" sounds as if the guest is medium rare! Change it to "The waiter served a medium-rare steak to the guest" and voilà - perfect clarity! Scribbr: Misplaced Modifiers
  5. Beware of squinting modifiers - Squinting modifiers stare at two words at once, leaving readers unsure which one they're describing. "The teacher said on Friday she would give a test" could mean the talking or the test is Friday. Prep your sentences by saying "On Friday, the teacher said she would give a test" or "The teacher said she would give a test on Friday." GrammarBook: Squinting Modifiers
  6. Misplaced vs. dangling modifiers - A dangling modifier loses its noun, dangling helplessly. "After reading the book, the movie was not as exciting" makes the movie sound like it read the book! Swap in a subject: "After reading the book, I found the movie was not as exciting" and rescue your sentence. Scribbr: Dangling Modifiers
  7. Practice with fun exercises - The best way to tame modifiers is with hands-on drills. Try "The student walked her dog in blue sweatpants" and decide who's rocking the sweats - then fix it to "The student in blue sweatpants walked her dog." Little tweaks build wicked writing skills! NIU Writing Tutorial
  8. Clarity boosts readability - Clear sentences are like a smooth slide: everyone enjoys the ride! By placing modifiers correctly, you guide readers straight to your point without detours. Keep practicing and your writing will sparkle. Grammarly: Writing Clarity
  9. Handling complex sentences - In epic, multi-clause sentences, modifiers can sprint away from their marks. Always park them as close as possible to the words they describe so your readers aren't left playing detective. This one tip keeps long ideas from collapsing into chaos. GrammarBook: Complex Modifiers
  10. Get feedback from peers - Sometimes your brain is too cozy with your own writing to spot a stray modifier. A fresh pair of eyes can locate those sneaky errors and help you sharpen your sentences. Team up with a buddy and watch your clarity soar! TAMU Writing Center
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