MISPLACED MODIFIERS EXERCISES

Identify the misplaced modifiers in the following and rewrite the correct sentences.

1. The vehicle was parked on the front lawn of the Starr residence with a “slightly flat tire.”

2. Two police officers arrested Mr. James outside Three Rivers Stadium on the night of the raid on
charges of theft.

3. The court upheld summary judgment in favour of the employer which found that there was not
enough evidence for a claim of false light invasion of privacy.

4. The no-duty rule should not apply to a patron struck by a ball batted by a player during the seventh
inning stretch while seated in an open concourse.

5. Knowing that Jones feared snakes, the television show script contained a scene that would force
Jones to interact with serpents.

6. Flying over the barrier and into the stands, the fan could not escape the foul ball.

7. Subjected to humiliation, the producers of the reality television show should have anticipated the
contestant might break the contract.

8. Enticed by the horses, the fence provided an inadequate barrier to prevent the child from reaching
the pasture.

9. The incident deeply upset Barnett, and he has been seeing a psychologist with severe emotional
distress.

10. Tom barely skidded 6 inches in the milk spill.

11. Anna suggested often that the children should play outside.

12. A friend Barnett had lunch with occasionally suggested that Barnett compete on a reality show.

13. Without knowing about the content planned for the television show segments, it was impossible to
give full consent to participate.

14. Bill fell asleep under a tree, tired from the long hike up the mountain.

15. The pedestrian was hit by a car, sitting on the curb.

16. Mary stormed out of the office, frustrated by the argument with her employer.
 17. With leaking pipes and a broken air conditioner, the tenants rightfully withheld the month’s rent on
the property.

18. Contaminated with oil from the spill, Jeff refused to purchase the property.

19. Surrounded by allegations of mismanagement, shareholders demanded the resignation of the

20. The Hatfields’ claimed ownership of the land, having built and lived in a house on the property for
over 20 years.

21. Injured by a foul ball, the baseball team was sued by a spectator.

MISPLACED MODIFIERS (MCQS) WORKSHEET 02

Read the question and pick the correct option.

Q1. Sitting in the crowded cafe, the delicious aroma of freshly baked pastries filled the air, making me
order a cappuccino. At a nearby table, a group of musicians were tuning their instruments.
Surrounded by chattering customers, the cozy ambiance provided a perfect escape.
Which option correctly reorders the misplaced modifiers to improve the paragraph's clarity?

A. Sitting in the crowded cafe, I ordered a cappuccino as the delicious aroma of freshly baked pastries
filled the air. A group of musicians at a nearby table were tuning their instruments. The cozy
ambiance provided a perfect escape surrounded by chattering customers.

B. Sitting in the crowded cafe, I ordered a cappuccino as the delicious aroma of freshly baked pastries
filled the air. A group of musicians, at a nearby table, were tuning their instruments. Surrounded by
chattering customers, the cozy ambiance provided a perfect escape.

C. Sitting in the crowded cafe, the delicious aroma of freshly baked pastries filled the air, making me
order a cappuccino. A group of musicians, at a nearby table, were tuning their instruments. The cozy
ambiance provided a perfect escape surrounded by chattering customers.

D. Sitting in the crowded cafe, the delicious aroma of freshly baked pastries filled the air, making me
order a cappuccino. A group of musicians at a nearby table were tuning their instruments. The cozy
ambiance provided a perfect escape surrounded by chattering customers.

Q2. Running through the dense forest, the ominous sounds of rustling leaves sent shivers down my
spine. In a moonlit clearing, a pack of wolves appeared, their eyes gleaming with hunger. Fearful for
my life, I climbed a tree to safety, my heart pounding.
Which option correctly reorders the misplaced modifiers to improve the paragraph's clarity?

A. Running through the dense forest, I climbed a tree to safety as the ominous sounds of rustling
leaves sent shivers down my spine. In a moonlit clearing, a pack of wolves appeared, their eyes
gleaming with hunger. My heart was pounding, fearful for my life.

B. Running through the dense forest, I climbed a tree to safety as the ominous sounds of rustling
leaves sent shivers down my spine. A pack of wolves, in a moonlit clearing, appeared with their eyes
gleaming with hunger. My heart was pounding, fearful for my life.

C. Running through the dense forest, the ominous sounds of rustling leaves sent shivers down my
spine. In a moonlit clearing, a pack of wolves appeared, their eyes gleaming with hunger. Fearful for
my life, I climbed a tree to safety, my heart pounding.

D. Running through the dense forest, the ominous sounds of rustling leaves sent shivers down my
spine. A pack of wolves, in a moonlit clearing, appeared with their eyes gleaming with hunger.
Fearful for my life, I climbed a tree to safety, my heart pounding.

Q3. Walking through the quiet library, the scent of old books surrounded me, taking me back to my
childhood. On a dusty shelf, a rare manuscript was hidden, waiting to be discovered by a curious
reader. With each step, the creaky wooden floor betrayed my presence, and I felt a rush of
excitement.
Which option correctly reorders the misplaced modifiers to improve the paragraph's clarity?

A. Walking through the quiet library, I felt a rush of excitement as the scent of old books surrounded
me, taking me back to my childhood. A rare manuscript was hidden on a dusty shelf, waiting to be
discovered by a curious reader. The creaky wooden floor betrayed my presence with each step.

B. Walking through the quiet library, I felt a rush of excitement as the scent of old books surrounded
me, taking me back to my childhood. On a dusty shelf, a rare manuscript was hidden, waiting to be
discovered by a curious reader. The creaky wooden floor betrayed my presence with each step.

C. Walking through the quiet library, the scent of old books surrounded me, taking me back to my
childhood. On a dusty shelf, a rare manuscript was hidden, waiting to be discovered by a curious
reader. With each step, I felt a rush of excitement as the creaky wooden floor betrayed my presence.

D. Walking through the quiet library, the scent of old books surrounded me, taking me back to my
childhood. On a dusty shelf, a rare manuscript was hidden, waiting to be discovered by a curious
reader. I felt a rush of excitement with each step as the creaky wooden floor betrayed my presence.

Q4. Swimming in the crystal-clear lake, the serene surroundings provided a sense of peace and
tranquility. On the distant shore, a family of ducks waddled along, their fluffy ducklings trailing
behind. With every stroke, I felt more connected to nature, my worries fading away.
Which option correctly reorders the misplaced modifiers to improve the paragraph's clarity?

A. Swimming in the crystal-clear lake, I felt more connected to nature with every stroke as the serene
surroundings provided a sense of peace and tranquility. A family of ducks waddled along on the
distant shore, their fluffy ducklings trailing behind.

B. Swimming in the crystal-clear lake, I felt more connected to nature with every stroke as the serene
surroundings provided a sense of peace and tranquility. On the distant shore, a family of ducks
waddled along, their fluffy ducklings trailing behind.

C. Swimming in the crystal-clear lake, the serene surroundings provided a sense of peace and
tranquility as I felt more connected to nature with every stroke. A family of ducks waddled along on
the distant shore, their fluffy ducklings trailing behind.

D. Swimming in the crystal-clear lake, the serene surroundings provided a sense of peace and
tranquility as I felt more connected to nature with every stroke. On the distant shore, a family of
ducks waddled along, their fluffy ducklings trailing behind.

Q5. Hiking up the steep mountain trail, the breathtaking view of the valley stretched out before me,
leaving me in awe. Nestled among the hills, a quaint village came into sight, its colourful houses
dotting the landscape. With every step, I could feel the cool mountain air refreshing my spirit.
Which option correctly reorders the misplaced modifiers to improve the paragraph's clarity?

A. Hiking up the steep mountain trail, I could feel the cool mountain air refreshing my spirit with
every step as the breathtaking view of the valley stretched out before me, leaving me in awe. A
quaint village came into sight, nestled among the hills, its colourful houses dotting the landscape.

B. Hiking up the steep mountain trail, I could feel the cool mountain air refreshing my spirit with
every step as the breathtaking view of the valley stretched out before me, leaving me in awe. Nestled
among the hills, a quaint village came into sight with its colourful houses dotting the landscape.
C. Hiking up the steep mountain trail, the breathtaking view of the valley stretched out before me,
leaving me in awe as I could feel the cool mountain air refreshing my spirit with every step. A quaint
village came.into sight, nestled among the hills, its colourful houses dotting the landscape.

D. Hiking up the steep mountain trail, the breathtaking view of the valley stretched out before me,
leaving me in awe as I could feel the cool mountain air refreshing my spirit with every step. Nestled
among the hills, a quaint village came into sight with its colourful houses dotting the landscape.

Q6. Reading the challenging novel, my understanding of the complex themes deepened, impressing
my literature professor. On my desk, a pile of reference books stood tall, aiding my research. With
each page, my appreciation for the author's storytelling grew.
Which option correctly reorders the misplaced modifiers to improve the paragraph's clarity?

A. Reading the challenging novel, my understanding of the complex themes deepened, impressing
my literature professor. A pile of reference books stood tall on my desk, aiding my research. My
appreciation for the author's storytelling grew with each page.

B. Reading the challenging novel, my understanding of the complex themes deepened, impressing
my literature professor. On my desk, a pile of reference books stood tall, aiding my research. My
appreciation for the author's storytelling grew with each page.

C. Reading the challenging novel, my understanding of the complex themes deepened, impressing
my literature professor. On my desk, a pile of reference books, aiding my research, stood tall. My
appreciation for the author's storytelling grew with each page.

D. Reading the challenging novel, my understanding of the complex themes deepened, impressing
my literature professor. On my desk, a pile of reference books, aiding my research, stood tall, aiding
my research. My appreciation for the author's storytelling grew with each page.

Q7. Walking through the crowded marketplace, the aroma of street food filled the air, making my
mouth water. In a colourful stall, a skilled artisan crafted intricate jewellery, drawing the attention of
passersby. Surrounded by a lively crowd, I marvelled at the vibrant atmosphere.
Which option correctly reorders the misplaced modifiers to improve the paragraph's clarity?
A. Walking through the crowded marketplace, I marvelled at the vibrant atmosphere as the aroma of
street food filled the air, making my mouth water. A skilled artisan crafted intricate jewellery in a
colourful stall, drawing the attention of passersby. A lively crowd surrounded me.

B. Walking through the crowded marketplace, I marvelled at the vibrant atmosphere as the aroma of
street food filled the air, making my mouth water. In a colourful stall, a skilled artisan crafted intricate
jewellery, drawing the attention of passersby. Surrounded by a lively crowd, a vibrant atmosphere
enveloped me.

C. Walking through the crowded marketplace, I marvelled at the vibrant atmosphere as the aroma of
street food filled the air, making my mouth water. In a colourful stall, a skilled artisan crafted intricate
jewellery, drawing the attention of passersby. Surrounded by a lively crowd, I was enveloped by a
vibrant atmosphere.

D. Walking through the crowded marketplace, I marvelled at the vibrant atmosphere as the aroma of
street food filled the air, making my mouth water. In a colourful stall, a skilled artisan crafted intricate
jewellery, drawing the attention of passersby. Surrounded by a lively crowd, a vibrant atmosphere
was enveloping me.

Q8. Gazing at the night sky, the twinkling stars filled me with wonder and amazement. On a nearby
hill, a group of astronomers observed the celestial bodies through their telescopes. Surrounded by
darkness, I contemplated the vastness of the universe.
Which option correctly reorders the misplaced modifiers to improve the paragraph's clarity?

A. Gazing at the night sky, I contemplated the vastness of the universe as the twinkling stars filled me
with wonder and amazement. On a nearby hill, a group of astronomers observed the celestial bodies
through their telescopes. Surrounded by darkness, I was.

B. Gazing at the night sky, I contemplated the vastness of the universe as the twinkling stars filled me
with wonder and amazement. A group of astronomers on a nearby hill observed the celestial bodies
through their telescopes. Surrounded by darkness, I was.

C. Gazing at the night sky, the twinkling stars filled me with wonder and amazement as I
contemplated the vastness of the universe. On a nearby hill, a group of astronomers observed the
celestial bodies through their telescopes. Surrounded by darkness, I was.

D. Gazing at the night sky, the twinkling stars filled me with wonder and amazement as I
contemplated the vastness of the universe. On a nearby hill, a group of astronomers observed the
celestial bodies through their telescopes. Surrounded by darkness, they were.

Q9. Biking through the dense forest, the sound of chirping birds provided a soothing background
melody. On the riverbank, a group of kayakers navigated the rushing waters, their colourful boats
adding vibrancy to the scene. With each pedal, I felt more in tune with nature.
Which option correctly reorders the misplaced modifiers to improve the paragraph's clarity?

A. Biking through the dense forest, I felt more in tune with nature with each pedal as the sound of
chirping birds provided a soothing background melody. A group of kayakers navigated the rushing
waters on the riverbank, their colourful boats adding vibrancy to the scene.
B. Biking through the dense forest, I felt more in tune with nature with each pedal as the sound of
chirping birds provided a soothing background melody. On the riverbank, a group of kayakers,
navigating the rushing waters, added vibrancy to the scene with their colourful boats.

C. Biking through the dense forest, the sound of chirping birds provided a soothing background
melody as I felt more in tune with nature with each pedal. On the riverbank, a group of kayakers
navigated the rushing waters, their colourful boats adding vibrancy to the scene.

D. Biking through the dense forest, the sound of chirping birds provided a soothing background
melody as I felt more in tune with nature with each pedal. On the riverbank, a group of kayakers,
navigating the rushing waters, added vibrancy to the scene with their colourful boats.

Q10. Exploring the ancient ruins, the sense of history enveloped me, transporting me to a bygone
era. In a hidden chamber, archaeologists carefully excavated artefacts, their discoveries shedding
light on the past. With every step, I became more immersed in the mysteries of the past.
Which option correctly reorders the misplaced modifiers to improve the paragraph's clarity?

A. Exploring the ancient ruins, I became more immersed in the mysteries of the past with every step
as the sense of history enveloped me, transporting me to a bygone era. In a hidden chamber,
archaeologists carefully excavated artefacts, shedding light on the past with their discoveries.

B. Exploring the ancient ruins, I became more immersed in the mysteries of the past with every step
as the sense of history enveloped me, transporting me to a bygone era. In a hidden chamber,
archaeologists, shedding light on the past with their discoveries, carefully excavated artefacts.

C. Exploring the ancient ruins, the sense of history enveloped me, transporting me to a bygone era as
I became more immersed in the mysteries of the past with every step. In a hidden chamber,
archaeologists carefully excavated artefacts, shedding light on the past with their discoveries.

D. Exploring the ancient ruins, the sense of history enveloped me, transporting me to a bygone era as
I became more immersed in the mysteries of the past with every step. In a hidden chamber,
archaeologists, shedding light on the past with their discoveries, carefully excavated artefacts.

B. Strolling along the riverbank, I felt more at peace with the world with each passing minute as the
serenity of the flowing water had a calming effect on my mind. On a distant hill, a solitary figure, with
their graceful movements, practicing tai chi, was a mesmerising sight.

C. Strolling along the riverbank, the serenity of the flowing water had a calming effect on my mind as
I felt more at peace with the world with each passing minute. On a distant hill, a solitary figure,
practicing tai chi, was a mesmerising sight with their graceful movements.

D. Strolling along the riverbank, the serenity of the flowing water had a calming effect on my mind as
I felt more at peace with the world with each passing minute. On a distant hill, a solitary figure, with
their graceful movements, practicing tai chi, was a mesmerising sight.

Q11. Reordering the following sentence for clarity: "Observing through the microscope, the cells
revealed their intricate structure to the scientist." Which option is correct?

A. The cells revealed their intricate structure to the scientist observing through the microscope.
B. The scientist revealed the cells' intricate structure while observing through the microscope.
C. The scientist, observing through the microscope, revealed the cells' intricate structure.
D. Observing through the microscope, the scientist's intricate structure was revealed by the cells.