Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers – Exercise 1

Directions: Determine whether the sentences below are wrong because they  contain misplaced or dangling modifiers and  correct 2 of them. Put a check mark next to the ones that are correct and an X to the ones that are wrong, and of course correct 2 of them.

1. Emma Sue was delighted when Mr. Nguyen returned her perfect calculus test with 

  an ear-to-ear grin.

2. Scrubbing the tile grout with bleach and an old toothbrush, the mildew stains began to fade.

3. To finish by the 3 p.m. deadline, the computer keyboard sang with Sylvia’s flying fingers.

4. Sheila watched Desmond stuff his mouth with a cupcake frosted with vanilla icing.

5. Perched on the curtain rod, the parakeet watched Rocky the cat slink behind the living room sofa.

6. Groaning on rusty springs, the trampoline tossed the children like clothes in a dryer.

7. Rapping the pencil on the edge of the desk, the fourth cause of the French Revolution would not come to mind.

8. Slathering the popcorn with melted butter, the calorie count skyrocketed.

9. Attached to the email, Charlotte sent her boyfriend Byron another photographic self-portrait with eerie red eyes.

10. Hungry for dinner, the surface is where Gert the goldfish waited in anticipation of food flakes.

11. After the rainstorm, Jeremy walked his dachshund on a sidewalk covered in wet leaves.

12. Lying under the dining room table, Noodle the poodle waited for bites of roast beef that Rosie sneaked off her plate.

13. Tonya made the mistake of walking her boisterous bulldog Billy in high heels.

14. Too hungry to wait for Brenda’s return from the restroom, the bowl of egg drop soup quickly disappeared.

15. Struggling with the tight jeans, the zipper would not budge.

16. Closing the hotel room door and pulling the heavy suitcase to the elevator, the relaxing beach vacation came to an end.

17. Whispering into Valerie’s ear, Rafael shared the gossip which had shocked and dismayed everyone in the cafeteria.

18. Starving but broke, Rhonda called Aunt Martha, whose generous nature and well-stocked cupboards would provide Rhonda with enough food until payday.

19. Eric’s foot indicated his nervousness during the interview, which jiggled wildly.

20. Sneezing from the high pollen count, a clean handkerchief would come in handy