MTEL Communication Literacy Skills : Writing Practice Test

What characterizes a misplaced modifier?

1. Placed directly after the noun it modifies

2. Placed at the beginning of the sentence

3. Not near the word it modifies

4. Placed in a list of items

The correct answer is: Not near the word it modifies

A misplaced modifier occurs when a descriptive word or phrase is positioned in such a way that it does not clearly or logically modify the intended word in a sentence. This often leads to confusion or a humorous interpretation of the intended meaning. When a modifier is not positioned close to the word it is meant to describe, it can create ambiguity or completely alter the meaning of the sentence. For instance, consider the sentence: "She served cookies to the children on paper plates." The phrase "on paper plates" seems to modify "the children," suggesting that the children are on paper plates instead of indicating that the cookies were served on paper plates. Here, the modifier is not near the noun it modifies, which is why it creates confusion. Correct placement of modifiers is crucial for clarity in writing. Therefore, the characteristic of a misplaced modifier is defined accurately by the idea that it is not near the word it modifies.