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Read the following sentences with dangling and/or misplaced modifiers.

Appreciate the humor created by the errors.

Rewrite each sentences correctly.

E-mail to

Check the Handbook of Technical Writing, 585 and 590-591.

1.An engine may crack when cold water is poured in unless it is running.

2.I have been trying to place him under contract to work here for three years. (three—year contract)

  1. Stripped of several layers of green paint, I was delighted with my mother’s old

kitchen table.

  1. Discovered in a box under the bed, Aunt Lou was delighted to find her long-lost silk pajamas.
  1. While driving into town, it suddenly occurred Mamie that she had forgotten her briefcase.
  1. To maintain a productive discussion, there must be an effort by all of us to understand the history behind this restoration plan.
  1. If lost, one can always replace travelers’ checks.
  1. The two small boys were riding bikes wearing bright green helmets.
  1. Tina just bought enough doughnuts for each of us to have one with a cup of coffee.
  1. Mary stood on the curb, waiting for the bus lost in thought.
  1. Brad has called the travel agent about booking a flight to Portugal more than once.
  1. We walked across the narrow footbridge with the other tourists swinging above the river.

Eugenia Butler, et al. Correct Writing, 6th ed. Lexington, Massachusetts, 1995, 207-222.

Make changes in the following sentences. You don’t have to rewrite the whole sentence.

1. To make the presentation clear, a table or bullet list must be used..

  1. Adpated to your particular needs, your supervisor was happy with your template.
  1. When using a list, parallel structure will be effective.
  1. If not applicable, you should choose another option.
  1. For doing enhancement work, reuse should be considered.
  1. If not reusing material that is available, reasons should be given.
  1. “We realize that by making this decision, our final product will not

be as portable” (SDS 2.3).

  1. “However by doing this, the project becomes slightly more cumbersome for the sighted user” (SDS v3.0).
  1. “As a plug-in to IE, the user would have all the existing functions and

conveniences of IE” (SDS v3.0).

  1. Design decisions are made by the programmer regarding the style sheet

properties. (SDS v3.0)

Rewrite each sentence that has a dangling modifier. Then pose several questions to lead another writer on your team into finding and correcting his or her error.

1.  To have a successful camping trip, the right equipment must be packed.

2.  When covered with a fine white ash, the chicken should be placed on the grill.

3.  He led me to a corner table with a sneer.

4.  We cooked fresh vegetables on an old wood stove that we had picked that morning.

5.  Scoring a touchdown in the last seconds, the game was won 6-0.

6.  To restore the damaged wood, a special chemical was used.

7.  In deciding the case, the judge used illegally obtained evidence.

8.  My dexterity improved by practicing the piano.

9.  The evidence showed an increase in the water-pollution level, concluding that the habitat might endanger waterfowl.

10.  The swing set finally assembled, Father lay down in complete exhaustion.

11.  While attending Radcliffe, he began her autobiography.

12.  Although responsible for the crash, the air controller refuses to accept any blame.

13.  While living in Tahiti, rich, tropical settings were painted by Gauguin.

14.  If dissatisfied with a product, a complaint should be made.

15.  The students just pay one-third of the cost.