WarmUp Use your context clues to determine the

Warm-Up • Use your context clues, to determine the meaning of this sentence. It is a great thing to modify your study habits for the better. What does the word modify mean in this sentence? (Hint: Think of phrases and clauses)

Agenda • Stems • Mini Lesson on Modifiers • Modifiers Activity (Who, What, When, Where, Why) • Closure Activity

Putting Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers In Their Place

Misplaced Modifiers • A misplaced modifier is a modifier that is incorrectly separated from the word or words that it describes. • Misplaced modifiers seem to describe words that the author did not intend them to describe. • When modifiers are misplaced, the reader may misunderstand the sentence. • Generally, the solution is to place the modifier as close as possible to the word or words it describes.

Misplaced Modifiers • Misplaced modifier: Sam bought a used car from a local dealer with a smoky tailpipe. • Corrected version: Sam bought a used car with a smoky tailpipe from a local dealer.

Misplaced Modifiers • Misplaced modifier: The robin built a nest at the back of our house of grass and string. • Corrected version: The robin built a nest of grass and string at the back of our house.

Misplaced Modifiers • Misplaced modifier: Christie almost sneezed fifteen times last evening. • Corrected version: Christie sneezed almost fifteen times last evening.

Dangling Modifiers • A modifier that starts a sentence must be followed right away by the word that it describes. Otherwise, the modifier is said to be dangling, and the sentence takes on an unintended meaning.

Dangling Modifiers • Dangling modifier: Sitting in the dentist’s chair, the sound of the drill made Larry sweat. • Corrected version: As Larry was sitting in the dentist’s chair, the sound of the drill made him sweat.

Dangling Modifiers • Dangling modifier: Sitting in the dentist’s chair, the sound of the drill made Larry sweat. • Corrected version: Sitting in the dentist’s chair, Larry sweated at the sound of the drill.

Dangling Modifiers • Dangling modifier: Soaring through the sky, Brenda watched the highpowered jet. • Corrected version: Brenda watched the high-powered jet soaring through the sky.

Now for some practice… Go to the following website for some interactive exercises: • www. webster. commnet. edu/grammar/quiz_list. htm Scroll down to the heading “Structural Flaws” and do the exercises called “Modifier Placement” and “Modifier Placement II”.

Who, What, When, Where, & Why • Before this activity starts, let practice some pre-reading strategies. • Using the who, what, when, where, and why system, create one question that you can place onto the paper to help us gain understanding about Chapter 11. -You only have a few minutes-

Modifiers Activity • Select one sentence from the text and turn it into a sentence with a misplaced modifier. You will then share your sentence with a classmate, which they will act out their modifier (if time permits) and write it correctly onto the construction paper.

Example Pg. 131 • I found out later that Bull Connor had ordered the white army tanks onto the streets of downtown Birmingham. (CORRECT) • I found out later that Bull Connor had ordered the white army tanks of downtown Birmingham onto the streets. – (INCORRECT, but why? ) • Modifies Birmingham and not tanks.

Closure Activity • On your sticky note, write something that you have learned about modifiers and place your modifiers in the basket to placed outside in the hallway or the classroom.