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    Academic English Workshop 0910S7 Misplaced Modifiers

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    twy113
    This document provides an overview of a workshop on misplaced modifiers, including definitions of key terms like modifiers and misplaced modifiers. It discusses how to identify and correct misplaced modifiers, such as by placing modifiers close to the words they modify. Examples are given to illustrate common types of misplaced modifiers and their corrections. The document concludes with concept boosting exercises that have students identify modifiers, the words they modify, and correct sentences with misplaced modifiers.

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    Academic English Workshop 0910S7 Misplaced Modifiers

    Uploaded by

    twy113
    409 views25 pages
    This document provides an overview of a workshop on misplaced modifiers, including definitions of key terms like modifiers and misplaced modifiers. It discusses how to identify and correct misplaced modifiers, such as by placing modifiers close to the words they modify. Examples are given to illustrate common types of misplaced modifiers and their corrections. The document concludes with concept boosting exercises that have students identify modifiers, the words they modify, and correct sentences with misplaced modifiers.

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    This document provides an overview of a workshop on misplaced modifiers, including definitions of key terms like modifiers and misplaced modifiers. It discusses how to identify and correct misplaced modifiers, such as by placing modifiers close to the words they modify. Examples are given to illustrate common types of misplaced modifiers and their corrections. The document concludes with concept boosting exercises that have students identify modifiers, the words they modify, and correct sentences with misplaced modifiers.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as ppt, pdf, or txt
    409 views25 pages

    Academic English Workshop 0910S7 Misplaced Modifiers

    Uploaded by

    twy113
    This document provides an overview of a workshop on misplaced modifiers, including definitions of key terms like modifiers and misplaced modifiers. It discusses how to identify and correct misplaced modifiers, such as by placing modifiers close to the words they modify. Examples are given to illustrate common types of misplaced modifiers and their corrections. The document concludes with concept boosting exercises that have students identify modifiers, the words they modify, and correct sentences with misplaced modifiers.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as ppt, pdf, or txt
    of 25

    CC0040

    academic English workshops


    2009-2010
    Session 7–
    Misplaced Modifiers

    Wience Lai
    [email protected]
    3746-0170
    HHB 1630
    What are the possible
    meanings that you can
    think of?

    The manager announced


    that two employees had
    resigned
    before the meeting.
    ambiguous?
    What are the possible
    meanings that you can
    think of?

    She likes the music box


    on the book cover which
    is nicely decorated.
    What are the possible
    meanings that you can
    think of?

    I just teach in the


    daytime.
    What is a Misplaced
    Modifier?
    A misplaced modifier is
    inappropriately positioned in a
    sentence.

     It
    makes the sentence unclear
    which word, phrase, or clause is
    modified.
    Part A: Diagnostic Test
     Identify and underline the misplaced
    modifiers in the following paragraphs.
     Then, revise these sentences to eliminate
    errors of misplaced modifiers in the space
    between the lines by putting “^” in the
    correct position.
    Part B:
    Grammatical principles -
    Review
    Modifiers
    Modifiers of Nouns
    Modifiers of Verbs

    Misplaced Modifiers
    How to correct misplaced modifiers
    Modifiers
    A modifier is a word or groups of
    words which describes or identifies
    another word or group of words in
    the same sentence.
     It can be a single word, a phrase, or
    a clause.
    Modifiers of Nouns
     A modifier may provide more information about a
    noun.
     More technically, they could be called
    “adjectivals”.

    Hong Kong is an international city [single word].


    Firms from all over the world establish offices in
    Hong Kong [phrase].
    Only those applicants who have passed the English
    proficiency test will be shortlisted for a second
    interview [clause].
    Modifiers of Verbs
     A modifier may provide more information about a
    verb.
     More technically, they could be called “adverbials”.

    Having near-native English proficiency can greatly


    enhance your job prospects in today’s competitive
    job market [single word].
    In this essay, we will analyse the status of English
    from multiple perspectives [phrase].
    Since the lecturer could establish a friendly
    atmosphere in the lesson, students participated
    actively in the class learning activities [clause].
    Misplaced Modifiers
     A modifier which is placed in a wrong
    position can distort the meaning and thus
    confuse readers.
     You may avoid misplaced modifier
    problems by putting modifiers as close as
    possible to the words being modified.
    How to correct
    Misplaced Modifiers
    Place modifiers such as even, only, merely,
    almost, nearly, just immediately before the
    words they modify.
    Example:
    Misplaced Modifier: The presenter speaks too soft;
    the audiences sitting in the front can only hear him.
    [Only intends to modify the audiences.
    Nevertheless, because of its position, it appears to
    modify hear in this sentence.]
    Revision: The presenter speaks too soft; only the
    audiences sitting in the front can hear him.
    How to correct
    Misplaced Modifiers
    Place clause modifiers beginning with who, which
    or that immediately after the words they modify.
    Example:
    Misplaced Modifier: The student received full marks in
    the test who is always punctual to the class.
    [who is always punctual to the class intends to modify
    the student. Nevertheless, because of its position, it
    appears to modify the test in this sentence.]
    Revision: The student who is always punctual to the
    class received full marks in the test.
    How to correct
    Misplaced Modifiers
    Avoid inserting a modifier between “to” and
    the verb that follows [split infinitives].
    Example:
    Misplaced Modifier: As tropical cyclone signal
    #8 has just been hoisted, the lecturer asks the
    students to quickly but calmly leave.
    Revision: As tropical cyclone signal #8 has just
    been hoisted, the lecturer asks the students to
    leave quickly but calmly.
    How to correct
    Misplaced Modifiers
    Avoid positioning a modifier in a place where
    its meaning is ambiguous, i.e. describing both
    what precedes and what follows them.
    Example:
    Misplaced Modifier: Tommy said after the
    examination he wanted to ask the lecturer for the
    model answers.
    [Did Tommy say this after the examination? Or did
    he have the desire to ask the lecturer for the model
    answers after the examination?]
    How to correct
    Misplaced Modifiers
    Depending on the meaning you want, we may revise
    this misplaced modifier problem in either way:
    Revision i): After the examination, Tommy said he
    wanted to ask the lecturer for the model answers.
    [after the examination describing said].
    Revision ii): Tommy said he wanted to ask the
    lecturer for the model answers after the
    examination.
    [after the examination describing wanted].
    Part C: Concept Boosting
    Exercises
    Exercise C1: Identify and underline the modifiers in
    the following sentences. Then, circle the word(s)
    being modified.
    1. I do not think anyone can succeed without love.
    2. If you lack passion for your work, you will not succeed.
    3. Falling in love with your work can make a person perform
    better.
    4. Michael Jordan, a famous American basketball player who
    played 1072 games and ended his career with 32,292
    points, said in his retirement, “What is love? Love is playing
    every game as my last.”
    Part C: Concept Boosting
    Exercises
    Exercise C2: Make sentences using the
    modifiers given. Then, circle the word(s)
    being modified.
    1. silently
    2. for several years
    3. without hesitating
    4. although you would not believe it
    Part C: Concept Boosting
    Exercises
     Exercise C3: Identify and underline
    the misplaced modifiers in the
    following paragraphs. Then, revise
    these sentences to eliminate errors of
    misplaced modifiers in the space
    between the lines by putting “^” in
    the correct position.
    Homework Practice 4:
    Reflective Writing Practice III
    (Comments on a Journal
    Article)
    In this task, you are required to
    i) read and choose a journal article relevant to
    your study discipline* (Health Care) and
    ii) write a reflection paragraph of 100-150 words
    on the article.
    Due Date: In the Workshop of Week 9
    *You may use the electronic resources (e.g. Academic
    Search Premier, Business Source Premier, ProQuest 500)
    available at the website of the CPCE Libraries
    <http://www.cpce-polyu.edu.hk/lib/content.php?
    cms=924> to search for a journal article in your study
    discipline.

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