Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers [Logo]
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1. Which of the following sentences contains a dangling modifier?
A. To raise a good dog, patience is useful.
B. Moving slowly, Bowie stalked the rabbits.
C. After eating the catfood, Bowie belched.
D. all of the above
E. none of the above


2. Which of the following sentences contains a dangling participial phrase?
A. Pedrito got into serious trouble missing the grammar quiz last Monday.
B. To complete the grammar quiz on time, you will have to click your heels three times.
C. When taking a grammar quiz, concentration is everything.
D. all of the above
E. none of the above

3. Which of the following sentences contains a dangling gerund phrase?
A. On completing the grammar quiz, spiking your pencil is acceptable.
B. Wearing a helmet is a sign of a healthy awareness of death.
C. When she talks to her parents, she is reminded that she is lucky that they are happy and healthy.
D. all of the above
E. none of the above

4. Which of the following sentences contains a dangling modifier?
A. After washing my car, I waxed it.
B. After talking with our veterinarian, I felt better about the prognosis.
C. She called her boyfriend because she missed him.
D. all of the above
E. none of the above

5. Which of the following sentences contains a dangling modifier?
A. Having worked for the company for twenty years, I was surprised to learn that my retirement benefits would not be sufficient.
B. Having taught phonology every semester for the last five years, he was eager to teach syntax.
C. After sweating in Reavis Hall throughout the summer, I am ready for winter.
D. all of the above
E. none of the above

6. The sentence "John wants to really do well on this exam" contains which of the following errors?
A. dangling modifier
B. squinting modifier
C. split infinitive
D. all of the above
E. none of the above

7. Which of the following sentences has a misplaced modifier?
A. He only talks about changing his habits. [Intended meaning: He only talks but does nothing else, like consulting a physician or psychiatrist, about changing his habits.]
B. A dog appeared in my dreams that sang like an angel.
C. The steak on the grill is hers.
D. all of the above
E. none of the above

8. Which of the following sentences is grammatically correct?
A. Only Bill wanted to go to the lake. [Intended meaning: Bill wanted to go to the lake, but no one else did.]
B. Bill only hinted that he would help us move. [Intended meaning: Bill hinted but did not, for example, promise that he would help us move.]
C. Bill wanted only Mary to win. [Intended meaning; Bill wanted Mary to win, but did not want anyone else to win.
D. all of the above
E. none of the above

9. Which of the following sentences has a misplaced modifier?
A. The dog bit only the mailcarrier. [Intended meaning: The dog bit the mailcarrier but didn't bite anyone else.]
B. He talked too quickly.
C. You should consider your options carefully.
D. all of the above
E. none of the above

10. Which of the following sentences has a misplaced modifier?
A. Most stress disorders can be effectively treated with serotonin-uptake inhibitors.
B. These disorders include depression, heat intolerance, onychophagia, pathologic jealousy, dysthymia, and trichotillomania.
C. Most dictionaries will not have obscure medical terminology, although most good dictionaries will have the Latin and Greek roots that morphologically compose the terminology.
D. all of the above
E. none of the above


Modifiers

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