Language Standards You Might Be Missing SERIES: Misplaced/Dangling Modifiers

Blog post 1 of 5 in the Language Standards You Might Be Missing Series just in time for testing season. Blog #1: Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

When it comes to teaching middle school ELA, some language standards tend to slip through the cracks—especially those that require students to fine-tune their writing. 

Misplaced and dangling modifiers are among the most overlooked, yet they are crucial for developing clear and effective communication and are highlighted specifically in the 7th-grade language standards. Click on the image below to see our blog post about this specific standard and how to teach it.

Let’s break down what misplaced and dangling modifiers are, why they matter, and how you can ensure your students master this essential standard.

What Are Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers?

Modifiers are words or phrases that provide additional detail about a sentence’s subject, verb, or object. When placed correctly, they make the sentence and its meaning more clear. When misplaced or dangling, however, they can confuse the reader or completely alter the meaning of the sentence.

Misplaced Modifiers

A misplaced modifier is a descriptive word, phrase, or clause that is too far away from the word it modifies, leading to confusion.

Examples of Misplaced Modifiers:

1. Misplaced: The dog barked at the mailman in the yard.
   Corrected: In the yard, the dog barked at the mailman. (In the first sentence, it seems like the mailman might be in the yard. This is not true. The second sentence makes it clear that the dog is the one who is in the yard.)
2. Misplaced: She served sandwiches to the children on paper plates.
   Corrected: She served sandwiches on paper plates to the children. (In the first sentence, when read literally, the children are the ones on the paper plates. In the second sentence, we clearly understand that the sandwiches were on paper plates.)
3. Misplaced: He almost drove the car for six hours straight.
   Corrected: He drove the car for almost six hours straight. (Almost is referring to the amount of time, not how he was driving.)

Dangling Modifiers

A dangling modifier occurs when the subject being described is missing from the sentence entirely, making the modifier “dangle” without a clear connection.

Examples of Dangling Modifiers:

1. Dangling: While walking to school, the bus zoomed past.
   Corrected: While walking to school, I saw the bus zoom past. 
2. Dangling: Running through the park, the flowers looked beautiful.
   Corrected: Running through the park, I noticed the flowers looked beautiful.
3. Dangling: After reading the book, the movie was disappointing.
   Corrected: After reading the book, I found the movie disappointing.

The subject “I” is missing in each of these examples, so we don’t know who is having these thoughts or making these statements.

Why Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers Matter

Teaching students to recognize and fix these errors is important because modifiers impact how ideas are conveyed. When students understand this concept, their writing becomes more clear, and professional. They are also more prepared for language-based testing.

How to Teach Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

Here are a few strategies to incorporate this standard into your lessons, with examples to use directly with your students:

Tools and Resources to Help Instruction

We’ve developed standards-based resources that target misplaced and dangling modifiers to make your planning easier and your students’ learning more effective. These resources include instruction, practice worksheets, assessments, and more! Click on the images or links below or on the image to learn more about our L.1 Units!

6th Grade Language Standards Bundle

7th Grade Language Standards Bundle

8th Grade Language Standards Bundle

Misplaced and dangling modifiers might seem like a minor detail, but they’re critical for helping your students develop clarity in their writing and speaking. 

By teaching this standard intentionally and incorporating it into your lessons, you’ll help your students build stronger writing and speaking skills that will help them express their ideas more clearly.