18Lesson Lesson Lesson Lesson Lesson Lesson Lesson UNIT Using Modifiers Correctly The Three Degrees of Comparison Irregular Comparisons Double Comparisons Incomplete Comparisons Good or Well; Bad or Badly Double Negatives 659 661 663 665 666 668 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 18.5 18.6 18.7 Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers 670 676 685 Grammar Review Writing Application 658 18.1 The Three Degrees of Comparison sw ift Most adjectives and adverbs have three degrees: the positive, or base, form; the comparative form; and the superlative form. ■ The positive form of a modifier cannot be used to make a comparison. (This form appears as the entry word in a dictionary.) ■ The comparative form of a modifier shows two things being compared. ■ The superlative form of a modifier shows three or more things being compared. POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE My cousin is tall. The cat ran swiftly. My cousin is taller than I am. My dog ran more swiftly than the cat. Of the three cousins, Paula is tallest. The rat ran most swiftly of all. She ran swiftly. Using Modifiers Correctly The following rules will guide you in forming the comparative and superlative degrees of adjectives and adverbs: In general, for one-syllable modifiers add -er to form the comparative and -est to form the superlative. green, greener, greenest The neighbor’s grass always looks greener than ours. loud, louder, loudest That sonic boom is the loudest noise I’ve ever heard. fast, faster, fastest Her hair grows faster than mine. ift sw er She ran more swiftly. In some cases adding -er and -est requires spelling changes. big, bigger, biggest hot, hotter, hottest true, truer, truest dry, drier, driest sw With some one-syllable modifiers, it may sound more natural to use more and most. just, more just, most just Of the three, that judge’s ruling was the most just of all. ifte st She ran most swiftly of all. 18.1 The Three Degrees of Comparison 659 Then the most emotional mood is created out of songs that describe the least fortunate circumstances. Less and least. This candidate explains his views most clearly of all. to my way of thinking. 660 Unit 18 Using Modifiers Correctly . more clearly. Then write positive. most clearly Lewis gives directions more clearly than most people. 1. ugly. Of all of us. 5. the more mellow the melody becomes. always use more and most to form the comparative and superlative degrees. The vocalist tells the tale of woe most clearly when the trumpet’s tone becomes less strident. Exercise 1 Identifying Comparisons In the following sentences. the opposite of more and most. The Blues A talented blues band can play more softly than a hard-rock band. I was the most afraid. attractive. 2. comparative. Are prepared foods less economical than fresh foods? I think cabbage is the least appetizing of all vegetables. always use more and most to form the comparative and superlative degrees. For adverbs ending in -ly. more afraid.For most two-syllable adjectives. That is the ugliest mask I’ve ever seen. If -er and -est sound awkward with a two-syllable adjective. or superlative to indicate the degree of comparison. That watercolor is the most attractive one in the exhibit. The slow blues. 3. uglier. more attractive. ugliest Your mask is uglier than mine. add -er to form the comparative and est to form the superlative. and write them on a separate sheet of paper. most attractive I think red looks more attractive on you than on me. The sadder the lyrics. can also be used with most modifiers to show comparison. afraid. clearly. Using Modifiers Correctly For modifiers of three or more syllables. most afraid No one is more afraid of spiders than I am. identify the adjectives and adverbs. 4. use more and most. sound the sweetest of all. A comet. POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE good well bad badly ill far (distance) far (degree.18. There are _____ celestial bodies in the Milky Way than just our solar system. complete the following sentences by writing the correct degree of comparison of the modifier in parentheses. is one of the _____ astronomical sights you will ever see.2 Irregular Comparisons 661 . One of the _____ space catastrophes ever was the destruction of the Challenger spacecraft in 1986. The _____ planet from the sun is Pluto. (much) 10.2 Irregular Comparisons Modifiers with Irregular Forms of Comparison A few modifiers form their comparative and superlative degrees irregularly. Pluto has the _____ mass of all the planets. (good) 8. SAMPLE ANSWER Which vegetable tastes the ____________ of all? (good) best Space and Space Exploration 1. It is most helpful simply to memorize their forms. (far) 5. Voyager I did a _____ job of photographing Jupiter than its predecessor. (little) 4. The distance between Venus and Earth is _____ than that between Mars and Earth. Are there _____ planets in our solar system than the nine we know about? (many) 2. (little) 3. Of all the descriptions of the motion of the planets. (bad) 7. (many) 9. Some asteroids have diameters of _____ than 120 miles. with its bright head and glowing tail. (good) 6. (good) 18. time) little (amount) many much better better worse worse worse farther further less more more (the) best (the) best (the) worst (the) worst (the) worst (the) farthest (the) furthest (the) least (the) most (the) most Using Modifiers Correctly Exercise 2 Making Correct Comparisons On another sheet of paper. that of the seventeenth-century astronomer Johannes Kepler is the _____. China seems even ____________ away for June than it does for her aunts. however. (easy) 2. though. At first June is ____________ to be with friends her own age than she is to be playing games with her aging aunts. (far) 19. are ____________ than June and observe traditional Chinese customs. June learns that the ____________ decision of all would be to abandon her Chinese heritage completely. it seems that June learns to accept only the ____________. and studying one's genealogy has become a ____________ pursuit than it once was. for whom China is a distant memory. (remote) 18. In the book the members of the Joy Luck Club do many things. Even so. (far) 15. (complicated) 8. although Amy Tan is ____________ than Wong. perhaps the ____________ voice in contemporary Asian American fiction.Exercise 3 Making Correct Comparisons On another sheet of paper. (bad) 16. (old) 12. (popular) 20. Though she is ____________ experienced than the other club members. June Woo is asked to join the mah-jongg game. that chess is still the ____________of all board games. (content) 14. Though mah-jongg resembles rummy. one can play chess ____________ than mah-jongg. (much) 9. (good) 17. SAMPLE ANSWER The Joy Luck Club is one of the ____________ novels I have ever read. (far) Using Modifiers Correctly 662 Unit 18 Using Modifiers Correctly . (lively) 3. Many of us would have to go much ____________ back in time to recapture information about our ancestors. and it is ____________ to read than many other contemporary novels. but their ____________ activity is playing mah-jongg. (challenging) 10. (quickly) 11. Researching. (little) 7. (long) 4. The club members. complete the following sentences by writing the correct degree of comparison of the modifier in parentheses. Maxine Wong is another talented Asian American writer. The novel is by Amy Tan. it is ____________. (happy) 13. In my opinion it relies ____________ on strategy than rummy does. From all the aspects of her Chinese heritage. Most people believe. (famous) 5. The Joy Luck Club is a ____________ book than some that have recently been on the best-seller list. There are some people who will travel to the ____________ corners of the earth to trace their family histories. tracing. (frequent) 6. The aunts are the ____________ of all when they are reminiscing about their years in China. The Joy Luck Club is an entertaining book. Eventually. The ethnic roots of many Americans are ____________ than June's. (interesting) most interesting 1. who are June’s unofficial aunts. After only a few months of formal schooling. and made them more better. A more later invention. Electric light is certainly more safer than candlelight. The phonograph and the electric light. 15. During his lifetime. CORRECT He will visit us more often in the fall. 5. 11. hearing great music was more difficulter. correcting the double comparison. nights seemed more brighter.3 Double Comparisons A redwood grows taller than an oak. 14. An illness caused him to become more harder of hearing than he had been before. Inventor 1. Do not make a double comparison by using both -er or -est and more or most. 3. aided the development of motion pictures. 9. Historians agree that Edison was one of the most fruitfulest inventors of modern times. he entered the more wider world of work. Edison patented over 1.3 Double Comparisons 663 . He was most proudest of his work on the electric light. Many people believe that Thomas Alva Edison was the world’s most best inventor. Some people consider him even more greater than Leonardo da Vinci. CORRECT INCORRECT Aunt Rosa is my most kindest aunt. Edison also took others’ inventions. Exercise 4 Correcting Double Comparisons Rewrite each of the following sentences. 19. 2. 17. Thomas Edison. INCORRECT A redwood grows more taller than an oak. One of his most earliest inventions was a stock ticker for printing stock-exchange quotations. became more cheaper as time went by. CORRECT Aunt Rosa is my kindest aunt. Using Modifiers Correctly 18. though expensive at first. 8. 13. the movie projector. 12. INCORRECT He will visit us more oftener in the fall. After electric lights were invented. 16. 4. 10. 18. such as the telephone and the typewriter. 7. As a boy. 20. He worked more harder and longer than his peers. Before the phonograph was invented. Edison was most happiest with his phonograph. People could read or do chores more longer after dark.18. Edison was blessed with a more quicker mind than most boys his age. Edison was more curiouser than other children. 6. The phonograph and the electric light are probably Edison’s most usefulest creations.000 inventions. the most greatest number ever recorded for one person. I tried to be the most good. 5. We would have appreciated a lesser adventurouser spirit on the twins’ part. 8. “I would like to go farrer back in history to an era when people had more time to spend with their children. When he got sick. with its emphasis on sauces and careful methods of preparation. complete the following sentences by writing the correct degree of comparison of the modifier in parentheses. than do American recipes. The higher his temperature rose. 6.” she told us. For many years Chinese food was the (popular) ethnic cuisine in our town. 12. Mexican chilies run the gamut in flavor and appearance. Turkish. 2. 5. “Sometimes. Mother used to go through some of the baddest days of her life. 9. 4. Using Modifiers Correctly Mother says that raising twins has been the goodest experience of her life. even though his health was worser than it should have been. such as real butter and whole cream. Lonnie was always serene. (Many) Americans than ever before are enjoying the pleasures of ethnic cuisine. Mediterranean cultures—Italian. Twins 1. 4. 14. 664 Unit 18 Using Modifiers Correctly . 2. French recipes often call for (rich) ingredients. the French appear to be no (healthy) than Americans. Chinese delicacies such as dim sum and Peking duck are (common) taste treats than the more ordinary chop suey and chow mein. Mother or the baby-sitter would chase them for the gooder part of the morning. but now Mexican and Tex-Mex foods have more fans. in spite of their eating habits. Strangely enough. 7. the more upsetter she became. the more time she devoted to him. but Lonnie’s was the most cheerfulest. 7. is for some people the (elegant) of all the world’s cuisines. I could have found more frequenter opportunities to lend a hand. Moroccan—rely (heavily) on foods low in cholesterol than do other cuisines. Ethnic Cuisine 1. 6. The worser he felt. Spanish. but the habañero is the (spicy) one of all. Mexican dishes are usually (spicy) than those prepared north of the border. the twins tried to see which one could wander more farther from home. 11. but she soon caught up. All of us children had sunny dispositions. In two sentences you will use less or least. When they were born. Mucher peace and quiet was what we wanted. 15. 10. Laura weighed littler than Lonnie. Writing Correct Comparisons Exercise 6 On your paper. 10. correcting the comparisons. 9. 8. 13. but I made a lot of mistakes. A quick look at the restaurant listings in the yellow pages will convince you that the (good) words to describe America’s food preferences are ethnic and diverse. French food. The most happiest day of our lives was the twins’ first day of school. 3. As toddlers. 3. Greek.Exercise 5 Correcting Irregular and Double Comparisons Rewrite each of the following sentences.” Being the oldest. 2The buffalo-skin dwellings of the Plains groups were more portable than the Wichita. their homes were less portable than Native American dwellings.4 Incomplete Comparisons 1 665 . [Anyone includes CLEAR My aunt has more pets than anyone else. [The claws of a lion are being compared illogically with everything about a cat. [Any planet includes Mercury. like many city dwellers today. 8The Pueblo groups of New Mexico were probably cooler than anyone. 6The lodges of the Pawnees were warmer and sturdier than the Plains groups. 5Many people think that the tepee was more beautiful than any Native American dwelling. The claws of a lion are sharper than a cat’s. 3The design of the tepees of the Plains peoples was perhaps more ingenious than any design. 18. the aunt.18. 7Because the Pawnees did not move frequently. UNCLEAR The grace of a basketball player is more obvious than a baseball player.4 Incomplete Comparisons system. [The grace of a basketball player is being compared illogically with everything about a baseball player.] Do not make an incomplete or unclear comparison by omitting other or else when you compare a person or thing with the group of which it is a part. and they could do this faster than anyone.] CLEAR CLEAR The grace of a basketball player is more obvious than that of a baseball player.] Using Modifiers Correctly UNCLEAR The claws of a lion are sharper than a cat. Historical Native American Dwellings Native American homes of the past were just as varied as today.] UNCLEAR My aunt has more pets than anyone. CLEAR CLEAR The claws of a lion are sharper than those of a cat. The grace of a basketball player is more obvious than a baseball player’s. Exercise 7 Making Complete Comparisons Rewrite the following sentences to correct the incomplete comparison in each. I would rather live in a tepee than any place. UNCLEAR Mercury is closer to the sun than any planet in our solar CLEAR Mercury is closer to the sun than any other planet in our solar system. 4Women were responsible for erecting the tepees. 10If I could. for they lived in well-insulated buildings made of adobe. Be sure your comparisons are between like things. 9Some Pueblo dwellings were several stories high. ” my mother always tells me. Maybe it will help me study well for the test. [adjective] You look good in blue. My mother feels badly that I am ill. 10. “I know. [adjective following a linking verb] Using Modifiers Correctly The faucet is leaking badly. “That soup smells so well that I’m starting to feel cured already. If a sentence is correct. “I’ll eat whatever you think will make me well.” 666 Unit 18 Using Modifiers Correctly . “You were always a good student. “You’ll do good on your tests if you will just remember to study. “That’s easy for you to say. [adjective] The milk tasted bad.” I respond.” Blue is a good color for you. too. 4.” I continue. Bad. “Would a little chicken soup taste good to you today?” she inquires kindly. [adjective following a linking verb] I feel bad about your moving to another state.18. Badly almost always follows an action verb. badly 1.5 Good or Well. Well.” I always answer. 6. then. Well may be used as an adverb of manner telling how ably or adequately something is done. SAMPLE ANSWER Marisa did bad on her algebra test. [adverb of manner] Aren’t you feeling well? [adjective meaning “in good health”] Always use bad as an adjective. bad is used after a linking verb. my head hurts so bad that I don’t know that soup will help much. write correct. I don’t feel good enough to study because of this headache. Use badly as an adverb. “Let’s give it a try. 8. 9. well. 7.” Mom says. 2. Well also may be used as an adjective meaning “in good health. [adverb following an action verb] Exercise 8 Correcting Errors with Good.” I say.” 3. [adjective after a linking verb] You dress well. bad. really. “But. That was a bad idea. Therefore. but your grandmother always believed that eating good could cure anything. 5. and Badly If a sentence contains an error with good. or badly. Bad or Badly Always use good as an adjective. on your paper write the form that should have been used. Arnold tripped and hurt himself _____ after we had hiked only about a mile and a half. but I thought they looked quite loose on his feet. I recently took an energetic walk with my friend Arnold. but then she suddenly broke up with him. or badly. 20. 11. A hike that is planned ____________ will not be enjoyable and may be unpleasant. If a hike begins ____________. who could not hike _____. and Badly On your paper complete the following sentences by writing good. than those of Patrick Ewing 5. 3. Locating a ____________ trail is one important aspect of planning a hike. No one can hike ____________ without comfortable hiking shoes. failed her driving test badly 10. It also appeared that the soles were too thin to support his weight _____. He needed a _____ friend to spend time with him and make him forget his problems. 2. Ever since we were young children. 13. I felt _____ that he had hurt himself because I had really wanted our hike to go _____. 10. Writing Paragraphs with Modifiers Using Modifiers Correctly Exercise 10 Write two paragraphs. 4. Hikers feel ____________ if they cannot keep up with their companions. 19. 5. 17. 15. Bad. Arnold had been feeling _____ about his girlfriend. Well. 16.5 Good or Well. You can use the phrases for each paragraph in any order. using each of the phrases below. than any other student 9. Hikers should know their capabilities ____________ before they start off on an ambitious hike. played well Paragraph 2 6. ____________ planning is absolutely essential for a long and difficult hike. SAMPLE danced badly SAMPLE SENTENCE Ellie danced badly at her first audition. 14. feel well 2. Improper equipment can make a hiker or camper feel ____________ . looked bad 18. the hikers may become discouraged and decide to turn back. A hiker who is not feeling ____________ can become a serious problem on the trail. well. 8. I will be very disappointed if this misadventure hurts our friendship _____. than any other basketball player 4. we have gotten along with each other very _____. Bad or Badly 667 . 7. 6. drove well 8. Paragraph 1 1. stumbled badly 3. his confidence was _____ shaken. bad. The views along the Appalachian Trail look as ____________ as the views that one sees in the Rocky Mountains. 18. 12. Arnold said that his new hiking boots felt _____.Exercise 9 Using Good. Needless to say. 9. Taking a Hike 1. feel good 7. 6 Double Negatives I don’t have any stereo equipment. I didn’t want no new activity to distract me from my other interests. 8. We have seen no concerts this year. 4. and dancing to the high-energy music. Exercise 11 Identifying Double Negatives On your paper write each double negative in the following sentences. Soon I realized that exercising never gets no harder. Not even bad weather can keep me from working out. Now I hardly never miss a session. I have no stereo equipment. 668 Unit 18 Using Modifiers Correctly . CORRECT CORRECT My parrot never says anything. 9. He can scarcely ever be on time. Use only one negative word to express a negative idea. In general. If a sentence is correct. They didn’t seem to have no interest in anything but stepping. The words hardly and scarcely are also negatives. 2. do not use a double negative. write correct. jogging. The other students never said nothing about my clumsy moves. CORRECT CORRECT INCORRECT We haven’t seen no concerts this year. two negative words in the same clause. it just gets easier. I have hardly finished. 7. Working Out 1. INCORRECT I don’t have no stereo equipment.18. My parrot says nothing.” but at first I didn’t want nobody to watch me make mistakes. I signed up for an aerobics class at the “Y. CORRECT CORRECT We haven’t seen any concerts this year. I hadn’t never explored the possibility of joining an aerobics class. 3. 5. CORRECT He can’t scarcely never be on time. Eventually. Using Modifiers Correctly INCORRECT I haven’t hardly finished. Do not use them with other negative words such as not. INCORRECT My parrot never says nothing. 6. my friend Ramón convinced me that my negative attitude was neither sensible nor smart. I used to think there wasn’t no reason for me to exercise. 10. no one should leave no trash on the ground. We didn’t get hardly any sleep as the rain poured down. even though the lake looked beautiful surrounded by the snow-covered trees. campers aren’t allowed to build no fires. In the morning when we opened our tent flap. write correct. 4. Our most memorable camping trip was one I don’t never want to repeat. 17. One summer we decided to go to Crater Lake in southern Oregon because we hadn’t never been to that site in the Cascade Range. We hadn’t no sooner gone to bed than it began to rain. 11. There wasn’t scarcely any dry firewood around. Some campers bring canned food along. When it is time to break camp. (Most sentences can be corrected in more than one way. we didn’t have no idea about the area’s changeable summer weather when we pitched our tent. Using Modifiers Correctly 18. 23. 22. It’s best never to leave no food in your tent. 21. 20. The lake hasn’t no inlet or outlet. and they must cook all their meals on a portable stove. but we don’t bring none because it is too heavy to carry. 7. 10. We wanted something hot to drink. 13. The rain had turned to snow. In some wilderness areas. 16. and after that we didn’t leave nothing edible inside. There isn’t no more beautiful place in all the world. and all fires should be put out. 3. 8. When our family goes camping. and the temperature dropped. for you will be very uncomfortable. for animals may be attracted to it. but we couldn’t start no fire.6 Double Negatives 669 . leaving not a patch of green grass or a brown tree trunk anywhere to be seen. Nobody can’t see it without being amazed by its sapphire-blue color. 2. eliminating the double negative in each. we like to find a site where there isn’t no one around. we realized we hadn’t had no other camping experience like this before. Don’t never pitch your tent on sloping ground. We decided that we didn’t want to spend no more time there. 6. We had never seen nothing like it before in our lives. Can’t none of them help us pitch our tent? 5.) If a sentence is correct. 14. One time my sister and I discovered a raccoon in our tent. My parents always pack dried food because it is light and doesn’t never spoil. We just hadn’t no idea that it could snow in the Cascades in the middle of summer. Camping 1. 25. Nobody should never forget to dig a trench around the tent. 24.Exercise 12 Correcting Double Negatives On your paper rewrite the following sentences. 18. 12. 19. However. 15. 9. the wind blew. in case it rains during the night. To correct a sentence with a misplaced modifier. [prepositional phrase correctly modifying the photographer] CLEAR Soaring over the edge of the cliff.] 670 Unit 18 Using Modifiers Correctly . [He does not have art on any other day.18. or does he have no class on any day but Monday.] Only Dan has art on Monday. [No other person has art on Monday. the meaning of the sentence may be unclear.] Dan has art only on Monday. MISPLACED Soaring over the edge of the cliff. [prepositional phrase incorrectly modifying eagle] The photographer with high-powered binoculars easily spotted the eagle. the photographer captured the eagle. UNCLEAR Dan only has art on Monday. Using Modifiers Correctly MISPLACED CLEAR Place the adverb only immediately before the word or group of words it modifies. [participial phrase correctly modifying eagle] The photographer easily spotted the eagle with highpowered binoculars. If only is not positioned correctly in a sentence. [Does Dan have only one class on Monday. the photographer captured the eagle. ■ Misplaced modifiers modify the wrong word. [He has no other class.7 Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers Place modifiers as close as possible to the words they modify in order to make the meaning of the sentence clear. or is Dan the only person (in a group) who has one class on Monday?] CLEAR CLEAR CLEAR Dan has only art on Monday. move the modifier as close as possible to the word it modifies. [participial phrase incorrectly modifying photographer] The photographer captured the eagle soaring over the edge of the cliff. or they seem to modify more than one word in a sentence. the tire was soon fixed. “I only have trouble on this road. DANGLING Working all night long. [prepositional phrase logically modifying no word in the sentence] After finishing his homework. you must supply a word the dangling phrase can sensibly modify. 5. [participial phrase logically modifying no word in the sentence] Working all night long. the raucous alarm startled me into consciousness. 2. the fire was extinguished. 3. [prepositional phrase modifying boy] CLEAR Using Modifiers Correctly DANGLING Sleeping soundly. If a sentence is correct. Watching the motorcycle rider work. [participial phrase logically modifying no word in the sentence. [participial phrase modifying I] CLEAR Exercise 13 Identifying Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers On your paper.7 Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers 671 . Coming out from behind some parked cars. A motorcycle rider offered to fix the tire with a friendly grin.” Darnell lamented. in his binoculars 1. To correct a sentence that has a dangling modifier. firefighters extinguished the fire. write the misplaced or dangling modifier from each sentence. SAMPLE ANSWER The police officer saw the tire explode in his binoculars. neither Darnell nor his helper could see the police officer. it was time to play soccer. since me is an object pronoun] Sleeping soundly. I sprang into consciousness at the sound of the raucous alarm. Last night Darnell had a flat tire on the way to his job. write correct. 4. [participial phrase modifying firefighters] CLEAR DANGLING After finishing his homework. the boy went to play soccer.Dangling modifiers seem logically to modify no word at all. 18. I go to the movies on Saturday afternoons. SAMPLE Using Modifiers Correctly ANSWER Waking to the screech of the alarm. Exercise 16 Using the Adverb Only Rewrite each of the following sentences. The chore I have is mowing the grass. 4. Pete’s room seemed mysterious and gloomy. write correct. the temperature outside was warm. The school bus pulled up right on time after a hurried breakfast. 5. SAMPLE ANSWER I sleep late on Saturday. If a sentence has no dangling modifier. 672 Unit 18 Using Modifiers Correctly . SAMPLE ANSWER I noticed the park walking home from school. Exercise 15 Identifying and Correcting Dangling Modifiers Rewrite each sentence that needs correction. The new paint set was under the porch that he had received for his birthday. A little boy was riding around on a bicycle with unmatched shoes. Paul’s Place. I can appreciate how much my Saturdays mean to me. 3. Putting on a short-sleeved shirt. Pete’s dad let him know that juice and cereal were on the table. 3. 5. At the Park 1. 3. 2. I don’t sleep late on any day except Saturday. Scampering around the top rung of the jungle gym. Walking home from school. Pete pulled the blankets over his head. I sleep late only on Saturday. I eat pizza at my favorite pizzeria. Waking to the screech of the alarm. 2. Then explain what only means in your sentence. Only on Saturday 1. adding the word only. fixing the dangling modifier. 1. 5. the sun finally came out. Marty noticed a baby squirrel. After taking a shower. 4. Helen saw the sand castle her little sister had built on the way home from school. I noticed the park. I wake up early on Saturdays if there’s an emergency. Rise and Shine Waking up in the dark.” 2. moving the misplaced modifier closer to the word it modifies. The sign at the park entrance said. Shouting from the kitchen downstairs. “Children should be with an adult under eight years of age. the blankets were pulled up over Pete’s head. 4.Exercise 14 Correcting Misplaced Modifiers Rewrite each sentence. correcting the errors. correcting any misplaced or dangling modifiers. 18The band played a march dressed in star-spangled khaki. Home-Run Ace Williams is considered one of the most finest baseball players of all time. we watched the acrobat walk steadily and fearlessly. 12The snake charmer only charmed one snake. 8Galloping around the ring. 2At the age of 17. 11Facing north. Ted Williams only played baseball with the Red Sox. the crowd applauded all the performers. the trainers marched the elephants in a circle. 1Ted 18. when he had a 0. a woman in a blue sequined dress waved to the crowd on horseback. a team in San Diego was the team he joined. 10We watched her intently sitting on the bleachers and eating cotton candy. 9Julio watched nervously as the trapeze artists leaped through the air clutching his chair. (Some sentences can be corrected in more than one way. 16Julio enjoyed photographing the ringmaster with his miniature camera. 15Barking furiously. but one girl in the audience only screamed. 7The clown pretended that he had been attacked by the lions. 3By 1939 he was playing good enough to start with the Boston Red Sox. 3Dimming the lights. Ted Williams. 4Swinging their great trunks. but it was a big one. 17Knowing what a bad photographer I was. 19Taking their bows. he never played for no other team.7 Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers 673 . 13A trainer commanded a bear with a chair. Exercise 18 Review: Correcting Modifiers 1The Using Modifiers Correctly The following paragraph contains 10 errors in the use of modifiers. 9In both 1941 and 1942. 2Julio and I arrived early and took our seats inside the tent in high spirits. the clowns chased little dogs around the tent. 6Three lions were released from a cage growling fiercely. for it comes only to our town once a year. 8Williams did not play so bad in 1942 either. 7He hit especially good in 1941. the second ring could be seen quite clearly. the elephants lumbered into the ring. 14Watching the acrobats.Exercise 17 Correcting Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers On your paper rewrite the following sentences. the thrills never stopped.) Going to the Circus Barnum and Bailey circus is a big event. Rewrite the paragraph. he hit more home runs than any player in the league. 20Under the stars our hearts were content as we walked home. 5Williams was one of baseball’s all-time most greatest hitters.406 batting average. 4From that time until his retirement in 1960. 5On a tightrope high above the ring. 6His batting average was higher than most other players. the spectacle itself was enough. The yogurt sundaes they stopped to eat tasted well. Walking to school. 11.Exercise 19 Correcting Modifiers On your paper rewrite the following sentences. She liked English class better than any class. As they walked to the movies. 5. Winston and Sabah go out together only once a week. Sabah’s teacher reprimanded her. Winston and Sabah walked more farther than they usually did. 23. Sleeping too late the next morning. 13. they saw that a fire had destroyed a neighbor’s house and the chimney was only left standing. Sabah decided that English grammar was more easier than algebra. Walking along the sidewalk. 7. (Some sentences can be corrected in more than one way. 12. 22. the buzzer rang as Sabah ran to the door. dangling. correcting the misplaced. 10. Sabah felt worser than she had felt in a long time. The bestest player was not at the practice. 18.) If a sentence is correct. Sabah wrote a paragraph about her dog concentrating deeply. Winston wrote an essay about his cat using a ballpoint pen. 20. 14. Running in all directions. 4. Winston and Sabah met after school. a silence fell over the classroom. Sabah waved as their classmates left for home. Using Modifiers Correctly 674 Unit 18 Using Modifiers Correctly . 17. Sabah felt badly that she had overslept. Winston and Sabah 1. 16. 6. 19. Starting for home. Winston and Sabah bid each other a fond farewell. the school bus left Sabah behind. 21. 24. Out for a walk. 9. a stone made Winston trip and fall. The teacher announced that both had done good. In the middle of the football field. 25. Sabah threw her pencil at Winston. Sabah bought a stuffed bear from a vendor with fuzzy pink fur. Winston hadn’t hardly time to get to Sabah’s house without being late. Winston and Sabah only had one class together. Winston and Sabah watched the team practice. 8. Winston felt well that his friend was looking out for him. Hoping to do well on the pop quiz. Because she was late. SAMPLE ANSWER Winston and Sabah only go out together once a week. Greeting each other enthusiastically. 15. 3. Having fallen asleep. write correct. or other incorrect modifiers in each. 2. In a great hurry. 7. 20. 3. not comic strips. Mutt is more taller than Jeff. The next comic strip to come along was “The Katzenjammer Kids. The strip “Flash Gordon” is more older than most of the other strips in newspapers today. The character Andy Gump had a mustache. usually behaved bad. 13. and Linus. 19.” Charlie Brown always feels badly after his baseball team loses. In 1896 the first comic strip appeared in the New York World. “Blondie” was more widely circulated than any comic strip. a yellow hat and square jaw were the trademarks of the cartoon detective Dick Tracy. Dagwood. The eyes of Little Orphan Annie are larger than most people. correcting the errors in your revision. 4. All the comic strips in the early years depended upon slapstick more than any form of comedy. Garry Trudeau won a Pulitzer Prize for his “Doonesbury” strip. 17. the cartoonist of “The Gumps” drew popular characters.Exercise 20 Correcting Modifiers On your paper rewrite any of the following sentences in which there are errors in the use of modifiers. 11. Hans and Fritz never gave the Captain and Mama no peace. In “Peanuts.7 Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers 675 . First appearing in 1919. 8. he never made an average-sized sandwich. 5. especially after the character Uncle Walt adopted little Skeezix.) Write correct for each sentence that does not contain any errors. Many people believe that “Calvin and Hobbes” is funnier than any comic strip.” whose prankster stars. Pogo. the “Thimble Theatre” comic didn’t have no Popeye in it. For its first ten years. 12. 24. Solving one problem. only made huge sandwiches when he raided the refrigerator. 6. 22. Although full of political content. Lucy. Frank King sometimes drew innovative backgrounds for his “Gasoline Alley” strip. called “The Yellow Kid. 18.” 2. In his pursuit of such bizarre criminals as Flattop and Eighty-eight Keys.” Pigpen is more dirtier than his friends Charlie Brown. another problem always faces the kindly heroine of “Mary Worth. The editorial page only runs political cartoons. In “Mutt and Jeff. Based on a typical family. 21. Using Modifiers Correctly 18.” a strip that started in 1908. but he didn’t have no chin. Before “Gasoline Alley” there had been no comic strip in which the characters grew up and aged. In spite of its sometimes controversial political remarks. The comic-strip opossum.” 23. Hans and Fritz. People liked this strip very much. 9. “Mutt and Jeff ” was one of the most early strips to appear in the newspaper. 10. makes philosophical comments on life. 16. 15. In the strip “Peanuts. “Little Orphan Annie” also told a good story. Famous Comic Strips 1. 14. Blondie’s husband. (Some sentences may be corrected in more than one way. 25. Literature Model from An American Childhood by Annie Dillard Using Modifiers Correctly Positive form of the adjective wild Positive form of the adverb recently Correct use of good Correctly placed prepositional phrase modifying men eople who collected rocks called themselves “rockhounds. . These people dove down into “brawling mountain streams” with tanks on their backs to look for crystals underwater. rattlesnakes. cactus. doing nothing. Here is their campsite: a sagging black pyramidal tent pitched on the desert floor. heat. my kind of people.” Rockhounds seemed to be wild and obsessive amateurs. . Here was a photograph of rockhounds in the field: Two men on a steep desert hillside delightedly smash a flat rock to bits with two hammers.UNIT 18 Grammar Review U S I N G M O D I F I E R S C O R R E C T LY The passage in this workshop is taken from An American Childhood. a memoir by Annie Dillard. Some rockhounds had recently taken up scuba diving.” facing cold. In it Dillard recalls her fascination with books that describe the pleasures and perils of rock collecting. The gold panning was especially good under boulders in rapids. or to pan for gold. one of her hobbies as a child. rough lava. landscapy-looking slabs suitable for wall hangings. insects. The very hazards of field collecting tempted me: “tramping for miles over rough country. rain. and glaring alkali P 676 Unit 18 Using Modifiers Correctly . The passage has been annotated to show the kinds of modifiers covered in this unit. . scorpions.” In the worst of cases. they called their children “pebble pups. Far below stands a woman in a dress and sensible shoes. who had stepped aside from the rush of things to devote themselves to folly. A Studebaker fender nudges the foreground. One book included a photograph of a mild-looking hobbyist in his basement workshop: he sawed chunks of Utah wonderstone into wavy. a chisel works ____________ than a pocketknife. Getting back home alive only aggravated their problems. (impressive) 8. (bad) 4. is ____________ than hunting in areas with unbroken ground. (easy) easier 1. rock collecting had unique rewards. the thinner you sliced your specimens when you sawed them up. Hold yard sales. Give them away. the more specimens you had. . (quickly) 9.Grammar Review flats. In this way you could multiply your collection without leaving home. whereas others travel ____________ than that for specimens. Of the rock hunter’s various tools. For example. . (far) 10. SAMPLE ANSWER Rock collecting is ____________ in some areas than in others. If you bring home five hundred pounds of rocks from an average collecting trip. One collector left five tons of rough rock in his yard when he moved. (frequently) Grammar Review 677 . Rocks and minerals cannot always be identified simply by looking at them. (far) 3. a rock hammer is the ____________ implement for loosening solid rock. (simple) 2. (good) 6. (good) 7. resulting in the formation of crystals. . Correct placement of the adverb only Comparative form of the adverb thin Review: Exercise 1 Making Correct Comparisons Using Modifiers Correctly The following sentences are about rock collecting. what do you do with them? Splay them attractively about the garden. For each sentence. One of the ____________ and most dangerous things a rock hunter can do is to hunt alone on a steep rock wall. One of the ____________ practices to engage in while rock hunting is trespassing on private property. To loosen individual crystals. Their ballpoint pens ran out of ink. Of the various testing methods. Minerals can be identified ____________ than rocks because the atoms in minerals are arranged in a regular pattern. the one that is probably used ____________ is the streak test. (silly) 5. . one book suggested lamely. Museum specimens are often larger and ____________ than those kept by amateur rock collectors. ____________ testing is often required. such as quarries and building sites. Collectors fell over boulders and damaged crystals. Rock hunting in areas where the ground is already broken. . write on your paper the proper comparative or superlative form of the modifier in parentheses. . On the other hand. Some rock hunters gather rocks at a local site. All of her most latest books. 18. The books she read showed rockhounds hunting for specimens in the most wildest places imaginable. when scratched on a rough surface. Dillard was impressed with the fact that the earth is more older than any rock yet discovered. SAMPLE ANSWER To outsiders no one seems more crazier than rockhounds. Before she began to read about rocks. created streaks of color more brighter than greasepaint. Of the rocks in Dillard’s collection. With time and training. rock hunting seemed like the most liveliest of hobbies. 15. 13. She was more curiouser about rocks than she was about stamps or coins. It’s interesting to note that the seeds of her talent as an adult author were planted much more earlier in a youthful enthusiasm for rock collecting. She realized that more sooner or later she would need a larger room for the collection. If a sentence contains no errors. Only with more further exposure to the subject did she begin to find them fascinating. 10. for example. write correct. she still found the rocks’ secrets intriguing. Many minerals have strange names. 8. continue to reflect her strong grounding in nature. 12. Rewrite the sentences. Once she started her collection. 5. 17. To outsiders no one seems crazier than rockhounds. Using Modifiers Correctly 7. 678 Unit 18 Using Modifiers Correctly . 9. 1. Although Dillard obtained her own specimens by less ruggeder methods. The young Annie Dillard liked nothing more better than the natural sciences. 19. Even the dullest rocks. 11. she thought they were the most drabbest things imaginable. 2. With delight she learned that the more thinner she sliced her specimens. One of her most greatest gifts is her keen eye for detail. 3. 20. the most prettiest was a red one called cinnabar. 6. Dillard longed to possess rocks with names even odder than that of chalcopyrite: sillimanite and agaty potch. but chalcopyrite (a brassy yellow mineral) was the most hardest for Dillard to pronounce. including her fiction. 4. 16. To Dillard.Grammar Review Review: Exercise 2 Correcting Double Comparisons The following sentences are based on passages from An American Childhood that are not reprinted in this textbook. Dillard developed a more stronger descriptive prose than most other authors of her generation. correcting any errors of double comparison. Some plain-looking rocks. 14. she looked for the most fastest way to expand it. might reveal lovely crystals inside. the bigger her collection became. when cracked open. 16. If a sentence contains no errors. such as lapis and malachite. The facets. Unlike any rubies. The emeralds from Colombia are finer than those supplied by any South American country. 7. 15. Unlike most other gemstones. or flat surfaces. Chinese collectors often valued a tiny piece of jade sculpture over any artifact. Native American artisans create more exquisite turquoise jewelry than anyone. Green beryls are called emeralds. 20. pearls are not minerals but an organic material. The value of a diamond is far greater than that of an amethyst. 4. Quartz. 13. On the Mohs scale. In Thailand one can find finer sapphires than anywhere. 14. among the world’s most valuable minerals. 8. Using Modifiers Correctly Grammar Review 679 . The aquamarine from Brazil is of better quality than Colombia. which come in different colors. green is more valuable than any color. The appearance of many synthetic rubies is very close to natural rubies. Unlike other gemstones. is much harder than talc. 2. Some of the sentences can be revised in more than one way. 12. and the value of some emeralds is higher than some diamonds. Rewrite the sentences. 10. a mineral that can cut glass. 1. are harder than anything in nature. More fine rubies are found in Southeast Asia than anywhere. correcting any errors of incomplete comparison. SAMPLE ANSWER The value of a diamond is far greater than an amethyst. 6. which lists minerals by their hardness. star-rubies appear to contain six-rayed stars that can be seen in bright light. 5. A gemologist is more interested in the chemical structure of precious stones than any scientist. Today there is a greater selection of gemstones available than at any time in history. diamonds are not only polished. 3. write correct. Diamonds. 18. Among the stones called beryls. 17. The turquoise jewelry created by a Navajo is different from a Zuni. the mineral talc is softer than any mineral. In ancient China. 11. 9. but also facet-cut.Grammar Review Review: Exercise 3 Correcting Incomplete Comparisons The following sentences are about minerals and gemstones. of a diamond are different from an amethyst. 19. jade was considered more precious than any gemstone. 8. It was (good/well) that Dillard was able to borrow and read several books about rocks and minerals. She discovered that “rockhounds” were people that she got along with very (good. 15. The newspaper boy felt (bad/badly) because he did not have enough time to devote to the rock collection. 2. and eventually he decided to give it to Dillard. badly) by comparison. 12. 11. 6. others did not look too (good/well). Dillard noticed right away that some of the rocks were attractive. Had someone tested her on the names of Mr. an avid rock hunter and collector. 14. well). Dillard at first was (bad. few hobbies seemed as (good/well) as rock collecting. good—adjective 1. Dillard herself was not (good/well) informed about the rocks and minerals when she first accepted the collection. When she went on rock-finding expeditions. could no longer maintain his collection because his health was failing (bad/badly). The newspaper boy had received the rocks as a gift from a (good/well) customer named Mr. Using Modifiers Correctly 680 Unit 18 Using Modifiers Correctly . well). Downey’s rocks. The fact that he could identify only two stalagmites made the newspaper boy feel (bad/badly) about his right to the collection.Grammar Review Review: Exercise 4 Choosing the Correct Modifier The following sentences are based on passages from An American Childhood not reprinted in this textbook. 9. He had not been feeling (good/well) for several months. Dillard would have done quite (bad/badly). 5. Downey. quickly learning how to identify them (good. and write it on your paper. Then indicate whether the modifier you have chosen is being used as an adjective or an adverb. so he decided to give the collection to his newspaper boy. well) about the amount of information and assistance some of these rockhounds could provide for her. She felt (good. For each sentence choose the correct form of the modifier in parentheses. 7. 3. 10. Mr. The rigors of actually looking for the rocks did not seem (bad. SAMPLE ANSWER To the young Annie Dillard. one of the few young people he knew. Downey. badly) frustrated about not knowing what to do when she brought her findings home. Dillard obtained the first rocks in her collection from a newspaper boy whom she did not know very (good/well). Dillard became more and more interested in rocks. 13. 4. Rockhounds often pan for gold in streams leaving no opportunity unexplored. You can’t make no jewelry out of pure gold. Rewrite the sentences. 4. 8. 3. Browsing through a book. 9. 4. The rockhound now begins to search for ideas about unloading his bounty in books. having an unusual obsession. usually it is combined with another metal. Silver was also deemed valuable. Grammar Review 681 . Review: Exercise 6 Correcting Misplaced Modifiers Using Modifiers Correctly The following sentences elaborate on ideas suggested by the passage from An American Childhood. 2. correcting each misplaced modifier. the question of practicality gnaws at the hobbyist. For centuries there wasn’t nothing more valuable than gold. 10. 1. 5. it won’t never break. SAMPLES ANSWER Dillard identified rocks consulting books and visiting local museums. as many other metals do. Divers find some of the most interesting specimens in mountain streams using scuba-diving equipment. 8. 3. Most sentences can be corrected in more than one way. SAMPLE ANSWER Finding precious metals isn’t no easy task. Dillard noticed a strange photograph of a rockhound. eliminating any double negatives. 7. 6. but no one could make none. write correct. Because there isn’t no more malleable metal. for it is too soft. Pure gold is hardly never found. Medieval alchemists tried to create gold. Everyday activities seem unimportant to adventurous rockhounds with their dull routines. Some hobbyists might find enough gold to turn a tidy profit in the water. Lugging home huge quantities of rock. Few early European explorers of the Americas hadn’t never heard about the legend of El Dorado. 5. Rewrite the sentences. Gold is a very malleable metal. however. 2. 1. people began using gold for jewelry thousands of years ago. Dillard identified rocks. Nobody never has to worry that gold will tarnish. If a sentence has no errors. but there wasn’t no interest in platinum. if you hammer it. 10. Rockhounds seem eccentric to conventional people. The picture showed a hobbyist sawing a chunk of wonderstone in his workshop destined for use as a wall hanging. Most prospectors in nineteenth-century America never had no scientific training. Finding precious metals is no easy task. 9. One idea is to sell the specimens to friends occupying too much space.Grammar Review Review: Exercise 5 Correcting Double Negatives The following sentences are about precious metals. Consulting books and visiting local museums. 6. 7. 3She worked in Chicago as an advertising illustrator in 1909 but she resumed her art studies in 1912. There are twenty-five errors. rock hunting began to seem like a wild obsession. minor problems like running out of ink arose. 9. 3. 4. five tons of rock remained in the rockhound’s old yard. Tramping for miles over rough country. After moving to a new home. Texas. Pausing to reflect.” 2. art was an early love of Georgia O’Keeffe. Dillard decided the hobby was both artistic and adventurous. 2She began studing art while still in her teens. After climbing a steep hillside. 7. Add any missing punctuation. correcting each dangling modifier by adding appropriate information. a tent served as the rockhounds’ refuge from the elements. Using Modifiers Correctly 1. Dillard was attracted to their hobby. 6. correcting the errors in spelling. 5She then taught art at the University of Virginia And more later. Finding rock collectors wildly impractical. 8. the hunt for rock crystals in mountain streams began. 1 682 Unit 18 Using Modifiers Correctly . Rewrite the passage. write correct. Pitched in the desert. Some sentences can be corrected in more than one way.” rock collectors sometimes called their children “pebble pups. 4 First worked as a teacher for the public school system in Amarillo. Review: Exercise 8 Proofreading The following passage describes the artist Georgia O’Keeffe. the flat rock was smashed with two hammers. Sawed into wavy slabs by one hobbyist. 5. Reword the sentence if necessary. grammar. Wisconsin. and usage. she returned to Texas to head the art department at West Texas State Normal College. Calling themselves “rockhounds. 10. SAMPLE ANSWER Finding rock collectors wildly impractical. their hobby was attractive.Grammar Review Review: Exercise 7 Correcting Dangling Modifiers The following sentences elaborate on ideas suggested by the passage from An American Childhood. Rewrite the sentences. Strapping on their heavy tanks. After studying the photographs and reading the anecdotes in books about rock collecting. its suitability for wall hangings was achieved. their ballpoint pens ran out of ink. Hunting for unusual rock specimens in wild and isolated places. whose painting appears on the opposite page. Georgia O’Keeffe Born in 1887 in Sun Prairie. If a sentence has no errors. 12 After visiting New Mexico in 1929. 18In many of her works. 8These works were seen by the photographer and gallery owner Alfred Stieglitz who admired them very much. 17O’Keeffe often used large. 19 O’Keeffe painted some of the more dramatic landscapes in all America. 9 O’Keeffe’s first exhibition was in 1916 at one of Stieglitzs galleries in New York City. The White Place in Shadow. 11Every year until her husband’s death. it had an exhibit at one of Stieglitz’s galleries. she exaggeratted the size of an object. 21A setting such as this would perhaps be attractive to the rockhounds described by Annie Dillard than to most people. Grammar Review 6 683 . New Mexico. her permanant home. the dessert landscape became O’Keeffe’s main subject. simplest forms that combined both soft and vivid colors. 20 In her painting The White Place in Shadow. 10Eight years later O’Keeffe and Stieglitz was married. O’Keeffe did not produce no important works until 1915. 13She was more happier painting there than anywhere. 1940 Using Modifiers Correctly Although she had been painting good for some years. 15 O’Keeffe belonged to the first generation of American abstract artists and drew on her American roots (particularly the vastest landscape of the arid Southwest) more than many of her compatriots. she made Abiquiu. sun-bleached cliffs of northern New Mexico.Grammar Review Georgia O’Keeffe. 7They were large charcoal drawings based on elements in nature showing great promise. 14 In the years after her husband’s death. she used subdued tones and massive shapes more than anything to capture the dry. 16She was not greatly influenced by no European art. She later did good at Hollins College in Virginia. 4. 2. Writing vividly about the world of nature and her own experiences. which earned her the 1975 Pulitzer Prize. 7. Born in Pittsburgh. Pilgrim at Tinker Creek is probably more popular than any book by Dillard. The Living. writing often keeps Dillard away from the natural world she loves. Although it was Dillard’s first book. her youth is described vividly in the book An American Childhood. Always a fine scholar. Annie Dillard Born and raised in Pittsburgh. correcting any errors in the use of modifiers. her journal of that period was expanded into her acclaimed best-seller Pilgrim at Tinker Creek. For her master’s degree. 5. 10. the famous American nature writer to whom she is often compared. 9.Grammar Review Review: Exercise 9 Mixed Review Read the following biography of Annie Dillard. In 1992 Dillard published her first book of fiction. 3. An American Childhood (1987). As a child. consult the biography. Using Modifiers Correctly 684 Unit 18 Using Modifiers Correctly . In spite of her successes. Then rewrite the sentences below it. If you need additional information in order to complete any of your sentences. she wrote a paper on Henry David Thoreau. she discovered The Field Book of Ponds and Streams at a local library. Pilgrim at Tinker Creek won her the 1975 Pulitzer Prize as the year’s most finest work of nonfiction. She has also published a volume of poetry and several more works of nonfiction. at the age of 10. 8. Dillard claims to dislike writing because it takes her away from the great outdoors. Dillard’s journal of a year spent alone in rural Virginia became the basis for Pilgrim at Tinker Creek. 1. Cooped up in her office. In this novel she described the harsh life of the pioneers who came to the Pacific Northwest during the nineteenth century. Annie Dillard’s books have enjoyed great popularity. to great critical acclaim. Some readers and critics consider her writings about nature as powerful as the classic American author Henry David Thoreau. This vivid and introspective exploration of the natural world remains Dillard’s best-known work. Annie Dillard fell in love with nature when. Dillard has only published a single volume of poetry. an autobiography published in 1987. including her fine autobiography. Dillard excelled in her studies at Hollins College. Dillard was an avid reader and almost never had no trouble with her schoolwork. After spending a year in rural Virginia. 6. She was now nine. Techniques with Modifiers Try to apply some of O’Connor’s techniques when you write and revise your own work. his wide prominent forehead. suddenly the wind shifted. IF that was. tossing her off the board. short and broad like himself. her feet were positioned just as Linda had taught her. and his rich florid complexion. . . his wide prominent forehead. For more grammar practice. and his push and drive. his strong will. She wondered if she would ever be able to do it as effortlessly. short and broad like himself. it would be Mary Fortune he left it to. There only was one way to find out. his intelligence. Feeling more freer than a seagull and more playful than a dolphin. He thought it added greatly to her attractiveness. Climbing aboard. to a singular degree. her board was tossed into the water. his wide prominent forehead. 121-131. with his very light blue eyes. a sobering thought occurred to her. she was now nine. he left anything to anybody. short and broad like himself. The sea was icy. She began to skim over the water as the wind became stronger. his steady penetrating scowl. She had a long way to go before she could windsurf in Linda’s league. his steady penetrating scowl.Writing Application Modifiers in Writing Good writers are careful about the clear use and placement of modifiers. and his rich florid complexion. No one was particularly glad that Mary Fortune looked like her grandfather except the old man himself. the italicized modifiers in the following passage from Flannery O’Connor’s A View of the Woods. Notice. Struggling to the surface. . Practice Practice using modifiers correctly by revising the following passage on a separate piece of paper. O’CONNOR’S VERSION She was now nine. It had not been icy near the shore. WEAK VERSION a smart and pretty child O’CONNOR’S VERSION the smartest and the prettiest child 2 Place modifiers correctly to make Using Modifiers Correctly your meaning clear.com and enter QuickPass code WC97727p2. for example. She had. with his very light blue eyes. and his rich florid complexion. Writing Online Writing Application 685 . Margaret watched her friend Linda windsurf sitting on the prow of the small boat. pp. go to glencoe. but she was like him on the inside too. CONFUSING PLACEMENT With his very light blue eyes. Then she took another deep breath and plunged in after it. He thought she was the smartest and the prettiest child he had ever seen and he let the rest of them know that if. lative forms of modifiers when appropriate. his steady penetrating scowl. 1 Use comparative and superFor more about the writing process. see TIME Facing the Blank Page. Taking a deep breath.