Exercise 39 – Editing Misplaced Modifiers
Edit the following sentences moving modification that is misplaced. More than one correction is possible.
1. He only got back 15 dollars of the $995 he poured into the slot machines at the Montreal Casino.
2. Jonathan missed narrowly hitting the oncoming car as he tried to pass the tractor on the two lane
country road.
3. The students protested noisily having their student fees increased after a 14-year freeze.
4. The naughty child appeared to deliberately knock over his brother’s tricycle.
5. The pouring rain began as night fell flooding our tent and forcing us to leave the
campground.
6. At the all-inclusive resort in Varadero, nobody had the right to eat anything at the restaurant
except resort members.
7. Catherine Parr Traill almost named all the flowers that are native to Ontario.
8. A dirty scarf was wrapped around his neck which gave off a terrible smell.
9. A shiny red sports car careened around the bend in the road traveling much too fast.
10. Many people purchase foods that are pre-cooked because they don’t have the time to cook
healthy meals for themselves.
11. Looking into the oven, I saw the pie prepared by my boyfriend baking on the top rack.
12. Ms. Putnam put the box into the trunk of car that was so heavy she could hardly lift it.
13. Many pre-teen girls wear clothes they are too young for just because teen super stars dress
in such a sexy manner.
14. After trying it on, Jeanna carried the sweater to the cash desk that was on sale.
15. Stanley’s mother covered his back with cream which was completely sunburned.
16. Peter’s international cooperation experience in Burkina Faso allowed him to first-handedly
see the challenges facing the people of this country.
17. By leading to many tissue and organ transplants, stem cells are in fact a possible treatment
for many diseases associated with injured tissues and organs such as diabetes, and
neurodegenerative diseases, like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
18. In conclusion, several conditions must be met to allow embryonic stem cell research, such
as the respect of the embryo, the absence of commercial interests, and finally the respect of
the donor.
Exercise 40 – Dangling Modifiers
Edit the following sentences to correct the dangling modification. More than one
correction is possible.
1. While supervising an exam, a student had trouble with his calculator. When the professor
turned it over to reset it, she saw that cheat notes had been stuck on the back.
2. After eating two platters of spare ribs, the waitress feared her customers would explode.
3. In the early morning, Sam walked his dog wearing only his bathrobe and slippers.
4. When I had a son at the age of 15 he began to be rebel against all forms of authority.
5. After visiting MIT, it became clear that this was the university where I would do my Masters
in Electrical Engineering.
6. Eating my supper, a great idea came to mind about how to organize the ideas for my final
research project on capital punishment in the Western world.
7. Meeting with the Prime Minister, the room was utterly silent.
8. Walking back to my hotel room after supper, a car nearly knocked me over crossing the
street.
9. Encouraged by the laughter, the comedy routine just got funnier and funnier.
10. Are opponents of embryonic stem cell research willing to let sick people die to preserve an
embryo’s life that doesn’t even have a name?
11. By their ability to become any type of cell, scientists discovered that stem cells can be useful
to treat such ravaging diseases as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and diabetes.
12. By learning more about them and by understanding their properties, stem cells could also
help in the development of anti-cancer therapies.
13. Being regulated now, even though the case is not entirely closed, I don’t think research
should hold out much longer because patients are still dying.
14. Many people scoffed at the President’s remarks who was extremely unpopular.