Question

Arriving late for practice | a written note was needed. What is the misplaced modifier?

a) "Arriving late for practice" is the misplaced modifier.
b) "a written note was needed" is the misplaced modifier.
c) There is no misplaced modifier in the sentence.
d) The sentence is unclear and needs to be rewritten.

Answer 1

The misplaced modifier in the sentence is 'Arriving late for practice' because it is not clearly stated who was arriving late. To correct the sentence, it should be revised to place the modifier next to the subject it describes, such as in 'A written note was needed for the student who was arriving late for practice.'

Step-by-step explanation:

The misplaced modifier in the sentence 'Arriving late for practice | a written note was needed' is 'Arriving late for practice.' This phrase should be placed next to the subject it modifies to make clear who was arriving late. As written, it seems as if the note is what arrived late, which is nonsensical. The correct sentence structure would clearly associate the action of arriving late with the person who did so.

To fix the misplaced modifier, we clarify the doer of the action. A potential revision could be: 'A written note was needed for the student who was arriving late for practice.'

When revising such sentences, it's crucial to place the modifier appropriately to avoid confusion and make the sentence more reader-friendly. Here's another example of a revised sentence for clarity:

1a. There are many strategies to revise written work.
1b. Authors employ many strategies to revise written work.