ACT English › Dangling Modifier Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
Making plenty of mistakes, the project was taken away from the young associate.
The project was taken away from the young associate because he was making plenty of mistakes.
Making plenty of mistakes, the project was taken away from the young associate.
Making plenty of mistakes so the project was taken away from the young associate.
Making plenty of mistakes, the project being taken away from the young associate.
The project was taken away from the young associate because it made plenty of mistakes.
The sentence is written in such a way to make it seem like the "project" was "making plenty of mistakes." The sentence needs to be reworded and restructured to show that it was "the young associate" who was "making plenty of mistakes." The correct answer choice is the only answer choice that makes this clear, "The project was taken away from the young associate because he was making plenty of mistakes."
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
Realizing the game was tied, the ball was immediately shot by the player.
Realizing the game was tied, the player immediately shot the ball.
NO CHANGE
Realizing the game was tied, the ball was shot.
Since the game was tied, the ball was immediately shot.
The phrase "realizing the game was tied" describes the player in this sentence. For clarity, it should be followed by mentioning the player to imply that the player realized the game was tied and not "the ball," as is suggested in the sentence as it is presented.
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
Waiting for the crucial trial to begin, the anxiety Neil felt was almost overwhelming.
Neil felt almost overwhelmed with anxiety.
the anxiety Neil felt was almost overwhelming.
the anxiety almost overwhelmed Neil.
the anxiety being felt by Neil was almost overwhelming.
Neil's anxiety felt almost overwhelming.
When a sentence begins with a dangling participle or descriptive phrase, the person or thing described in that phrase (in this case, "Neil") must immediately follow it. Only one answer choice does this correctly. The answer choice that begins "Neil's anxiety" may appear to do so, but it does not, because the possessive "Neil's" is no longer the subject, but is describing the anxiety.
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices repeats the underlined portion as it is written.
Passing by the waterfront, the ducks and geese floated around as spectators strolled.
spectators strolled as the ducks and geese floated around.
the ducks and geese were floating around as spectators strolled.
the ducks and geese and spectators floated around and strolled.
spectators strolled but the ducks and geese floated around.
the ducks and geese floated around as spectators strolled.
The best answer fixes the dangling participle that starts the sentence (the subject of the main clause should be the one doing the action described in the opening phrase), and uses a logical coordinator.
As the class entered the museum, Ms. Johnson noticed that two of her students had fallen behind the group. After all of the tickets had been secured, she approached the two girls, saying: “what on Earth is causing you to go so slow?” The taller girl, whose name was Ashley, was the first to respond:
“Veronica and I were just discussing something very private. Nobody can hear what her and I are discussing.”
“Well, Ashley, I think that our tour guide, Dr. Mitchell, will be offended by your behavior. You and Veronica should find separate places in the group and you should pay attention to him and me.”
The two girls reluctantly joined the rest of the class. Ms. Johnson looked to see if another student was out of their place, but everything seemed to be in order. The tour guide, Dr. Mitchell, introduced himself to the class:
“Hello everyone! My name is Dr. Mitchell. I’m so glad that you have all come to the Museum of Natural History today; I think you’ll really enjoy our exhibits, which have been curated with the utmost care. The museum has three distinct types of exhibitions. Permanent exhibitions, temporary exhibitions, and space shows. The permanent exhibition and the space show is always available for viewing, but the temporary exhibition changes seasonally.“
Having finished his introduction, the permanent exhibition was the first thing that Dr. Mitchell showed to the class.
Choose the answer that best corrects the bolded portion of the passage. If the bolded portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
Having finished his introduction, Dr. Mitchell first showed the class the permanent exhibition.
NO CHANGE
Having finished his introduction, the permanent exhibition was the first thing showed to the class.
Having finished introducing the permanent exhibition Dr. Mitchell showed the permanent exhibition to the class first.
This modifier, "having finished his introduction," is misplaced in the original text. The modifier describes Dr. Mitchell, not the exhibition, so it is Dr. Mitchell who should appear directly after the modifier. This is why the correct answer reads, "Having finished his introduction, Dr. Mitchell . . ." If we do not place the subject of the modifier directly after it, we have created a misplaced modifier (such as in the original text).
Alfred Tarski, born on January 14, 1901, became known during his lifetime as a brilliant mathematician and teacher. He is best known for proving several advanced geometric theorems. By the time Tarski moved to the United States, much of Europe has already fallen into the grips of World War II. Hundreds of mathematical problems were solved by Tarski.
Tarski enrolled in Warsaw University in 1920. Originally wishing to study biology, mathematics was the subject in which Tarski ultimately excelled. He graduated with honors, and began his career as a math teacher. A true mathematical virtuoso, Tarski was concerned with neither the application of his research nor publishing his findings.
Discoveries made by Tarski influenced the work of one of the world’s greatest physicists, Albert Einstein. Einstein and Tarski had many similar interests in common. Unlike Albert Einstein, however, Tarski was especially fond for pure mathematics. Although Tarski and Einstein were contemporaries, Einstein was the most prolific writer of the two.
In 1929, Tarski married his co-worker, Maria Witkowska. An affinity for mathematics ran in the family. Tarski even admitted that his wife knew more about algebra, geometry and trigonometry than did he. Tarski's two children, Jan, and Ina, grew up to be prominent mathematicians themselves; however, neither Jan nor Ina have received a great deal of international attention.
Choose the answer that best corrects the bolded portion of the passage. If the bolded portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
Tarski ultimately excelled in mathematics
NO CHANGE
mathematics is what Tarski excelled in
the subject in which Tarski ultimately excelled was mathematics
mathematics is the field in which Tarski ended up focusing his attention
The sentence begins with the modifier phrase "Originally wishing to study biology," which must modify the element immediately following it.
It would not make very much sense for mathematics to study biology, but that is the meaning of the original sentence. Since it was Tarski—not mathematics—who originally wished to study biology, we must put "Tarski" rather than "mathematics" immediately after the modifier phrase.
The correct way to express the sentence is therefore "Originally wishing to study biology, Tarski excelled in mathematics," so the correct answer is "Tarski excelled in mathematics."
Each of the other answer choices contains a misplaced modifier error.
When the patent on Alexander Graham Bell’s revolutionary invention, the telephone, expired in 1894 thousands of new firms entered the telecommunication industry. Among them were a collection of profitable companies that merged to form what would later become known as The Bell System. The Bell System had amassed such weight in the industry that in 1933, when Congress passed a law declaring phone service a public utility, the Bell System quickly transformed into a monopoly. Lawmakers enthusiastic supported a series of provisions intended to stimulate competition. Appointed as the nation’s sole provider of telecommunication services, widespread criticism about the Bell System began to surface.
The Federal Communications Act has so far been highly effective and the industry has grown tremendously as a result. In fact, for the past three years, the profitability of the largest three telecommunication companies has been greater than the largest three automotive companies. The number of calls provided by the top three companies range from five billion to six billion per day. Today, virtually everyone has made a phone call over the course of their lives. Most people do not know, however, that payment for swaths of electromagnetic wavelengths have become commonplace.
One explanation for such high call volume and large profits is that calls are becoming much less expensive for companies to provide, regardless for many large fixed expenses such as communication towers, base stations, and paying for utility poles. Over the last century, telephones had become an important part of modern society. In fact, the cost of delivering one telephone call today is about a thousandth of the cost in the 1950s. The increasing affordability and abundance of phone calls mark the progress made since the time of Alexander Graham Bell and the Bell System.
Choose the answer that best corrects the bolded portion of the passage. If the bolded portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
the Bell System became the subject of widespread criticism
NO CHANGE
widespread criticism began to surface about the Bell System
criticism, widespread in its nature, and about the Bell System, began to spread
If a modifier clause—such as "Appointed as the nation’s sole provider of telecommunication services"—begins a sentence, the modifier must apply to the element immediately after the modifier clause.
In this case, the element immediately after the modifier clause is "widespread criticism," so the sentence is incorrectly claiming that the widespread criticism is what was appointed as the nation's sole provider of telecommunication services. Based on context, we can see that the author wishes to express that The Bell System is what was appointed as the nation's sole provider of telecommunication services. Thus, the correct sentence must contain "The Bell System" as the first element after the modifier clause. The only answer choice that obeys this rule is "Appointed as the nation’s sole provider of telecommunication services, The Bell System became the subject of widespread criticism."
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
Caring for a pet, responsibility is something children can learn.
Responsibility is something children can learn by caring for a pet.
Caring for a pet, responsibility is something children can learn.
Caring for a pet responsibility is something children can learn.
Caring for a pet, responsibility is learned by children.
Caring for a pet, responsibility is something children learn.
With the sentence phrased the way it is, the thing that is "caring for a pet" appears to be "responsibility." This dangling modifier needs to be changed to make it clear that "children" are "caring for a pet." The correct answer choice is "Responsibility is something children can learn by caring for a pet."
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices repeats the underlined portion as it is written.
Coming upon the hills, the sun began setting behind the travelers.
As the travelers came upon the hill, the sun began setting behind them.
Coming upon the hills, the sun began setting behind the travelers.
Coming upon the hills as the sun began setting begind the travelers.
As the sun began setting, travelers coming upon the hills.
Coming upon the hills, the sun set behind the travelers.
The sentence as written contains a dangling modifier, in that "the sun" is not what is "coming upon the hills." The sentence needs to be rewritten to show that the travelers were the ones "coming upon the hills." "As the travelers came upon the hill, the sun began setting behind them," is the correct answer choice.
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
Coming back to the farm, the gruesome scene was seen by everyone in the car.
everyone in the car saw the gruesome scene.
the gruesome scene was seen by everyone in the car.
the gruesome scene saw by everyone in the car.
the gruesome scene was seen by everyone at the car.
the gruesome scene being seen by everyone in the car.
The sentence is written with a dangling modifier, which makes the sentence read as though the "gruesome scene" was what was "coming back to the farm." The sentence needs to be restructured to clarify this problem. The only answer choice that does this is "everyone in the car saw the gruesome scene."