English Grammar Masterplan
Lesson 33: Modifiers and Parallelism
Lesson Overview
Modifiers: What are they? What rules do we need
to follow when using adjectives and adverbs?
Parallelism: What is it? How do we maintain it in
our sentences?
Modifier Tips: What to avoid with modifiers? Some
advice on how to use modifiers effectively.
Modifiers
What are they?
Modifiers are words or phrases in a sentence that
provide additional information about other words
in the sentence. They can be either adjectives or
adverbs and are used to enhance the description
of nouns (adjectives) or verbs, adjectives, and
adverbs (adverbs).
Adjectives
Definition: Adjectives are words that modify or
describe nouns and pronouns. They provide
additional information about the qualities,
characteristics, or attributes of the noun they are
modifying.
Placement: Adjectives typically come before the
noun they modify.
Examples
The red car is fast. (The adjective "red" describes
the color of the noun "car.")
She lives in a beautiful house. (The adjective
"beautiful" describes the quality of the noun
"house.")
The two cats are playing. (The adjective "two"
specifies the quantity of the noun "cats.")
Adverbs
Definition: Adverbs are words that modify verbs,
adjectives, other adverbs, or entire sentences.
They provide information about how, when, where,
or to what degree an action is performed.
Placement: Adverbs can appear in various
positions within a sentence, depending on what
they are modifying.
Examples
She quickly ran to catch the bus. (The adverb
"quickly" modifies the verb "ran" by describing
how she ran.)
He spoke very softly. (The adverb "very" modifies
the adverb "softly," indicating the degree of
softness in his speech.)
She arrived early for the meeting. (The adverb
"early" modifies the verb "arrived" by specifying
when she arrived.)
Parallelism
What is it?
Parallelism is a grammatical and stylistic principle
where elements in a sentence or a list are structured
in a consistent and balanced way. It involves using
the same grammatical structure for items that are
logically related, making the sentence or list easier to
read and understand.
Examples
Not Parallel: He enjoys reading books, playing
video games, and to cook. (Inconsistent
structure)
Parallel: He enjoys reading books, playing video
games, and cooking. (Consistent structure)
Examples
Not Parallel: She likes hiking, swimming, and to
run. (Inconsistent structure)
Parallel: She likes hiking, swimming, and running.
(Consistent structure)
Practice
Revise the following sentences to make them
parallel:
1. I love to dance, singing, and watching movies.
2. She is responsible for managing the team,
coordinating projects, and to prepare reports.
3. The benefits of the program include increased
productivity, reduced stress, and employees will be
happier.
Practice
1. I love to dance, singing, and watching movies.
1. I love dancing, singing, and watching movies.
2. She is responsible for managing the team,
coordinating projects, and to prepare reports.
2. She is responsible for managing the team,
coordinating projects, and preparing reports.
Continued…
3. The benefits of the program include increased
productivity, reduced stress, and employees will be
happier.
3. The benefits of the program include increased
productivity, reduced stress, and increased
employee happiness.
Misplaced Modifier
What does this mean?
This occurs when a modifier is separated from the
word it's supposed to modify.
Example
"They bought a car for my sister they call
Pumpkin."
In this sentence, the misplaced modifier is "they
call Pumpkin." It appears to be modifying "my
sister" rather than "the car."
The intended meaning is likely that the car is
called "Pumpkin" by "them" (presumably the
people who bought the car), but the sentence
structure suggests that "my sister" is being called
"Pumpkin."
Practice
"They bought a car for my sister they call
Pumpkin."
A corrected version could be:
"They bought a car they call Pumpkin for my
sister."
Dangling Modifier
What is this?
This occurs when the modifier's intended subject is
missing or unclear.
Example
"After reading the book, the movie was great."
In this sentence, the dangling modifier is "After
reading the book." It is intended to describe the
actions of the person who read the book, but it is
incorrectly positioned at the beginning of the
sentence.
As it stands, the sentence suggests that the movie
itself was reading the book, which is illogical. To
correct the sentence, you need to clarify who read
the book.
Practice
"After reading the book, the movie was great."
A corrected version:
"After reading the book, I thought the movie was
great."
Modifier Tips
1. Identify the Modifier
First, recognize that you're using a modifier in
your sentence.
Is it a single word (first, yellow, flying)? Is it an
adjectival or adverbial phrase (beneath the car,
without a care)? Is it a clause (when the sun rises,
with excitement in her eyes)?
Modifier Tips
2. Place the Modifier Close to What It Modifies
The modifier should be positioned as close as
possible to the word it is intended to modify. This
helps ensure that there is no ambiguity or
confusion about which word the modifier is
describing.
Modifier Tips
Incorrect: "Running quickly, the cheetah caught
its prey."
Correct: "The cheetah caught its prey quickly
while running."
Modifier Tips
3. Rearrange the Sentence
If a sentence seems unclear or if there's any doubt
about the placement of a modifier, consider
rearranging the sentence to make the intended
meaning more explicit.
Modifier Tips
Original: "After the party, we cleaned the kitchen."
Revised: "We cleaned the kitchen after the party."
Modifier Tips
4. Be Mindful of Introductory Phrases
Introductory phrases (such as "After the party," "In
the morning," "Before the meeting") often contain
modifiers. Ensure that the subject of the main
clause is the one performing the action described
by the modifier in the introductory phrase.
Modifier Tips
Incorrect: "In the morning, my coffee was
delicious."
Correct: "In the morning, I found my coffee
delicious."
Modifier Tips
5. Use Descriptive Language
Be specific and clear in your writing. Use
descriptive language that leaves no room for
ambiguity.
Modifier Tips
Ambiguous: "She saw a dog walking on the hill
with a telescope."
Clear: "Using a telescope, she saw a dog walking
on the hill."
Modifier Tips
6. Review and Edit
After writing a sentence, review it carefully to
check for misplaced modifiers. Look for potential
sources of confusion or ambiguity and make
necessary corrections.
Modifier Tips
7. Get Feedback
Sometimes, another set of eyes can help you
identify misplaced modifiers you might have
missed. Consider having someone else review your
writing.
Modifier Tips
8. Practice!
Regularly practice identifying and correcting
misplaced modifiers in your writing. The more you
practice, the better you'll become at avoiding
these errors.
See you next time!
