Grammar Quiz 3.Modifiers and Agreement
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ENGL 202A Prof. Olson
Fall 2023
Grammar Quiz 3: Modifiers and Agreement
As in the earlier quizzes, remember to add your explanations.
These will show that you understand the grammatical principle, so that you’ll be able to use it in your own writing. (
Please add your responses, edits, and explanations in red
.)
Part 1
: Misplaced Modifiers
In each of the sentences below, explain the ambiguity problem resulting from the placement of modifiers, AND make any necessary corrections to the sentences to resolve the ambiguity, explaining how your edit resolves the problem. I love you more than the Steelers.
The phrase “more than the Steelers” is intended to modify “I love you,” suggesting that the speakers love for someone is greater than their love for the Steelers. The current placement of the modifier makes it seem like the speaker loves the Steelers and someone else more than “you,” which could be misinterpreted. To resolves this ambiguity, you can write it like this:
“I love you more than I love the Steelers.”
In this corrected sentence, the modifier “more than I love the Steelers” is now properly placed to modify “I love you,” making it clear that the speaker’s love for someone is greater than their love for the Steelers.
The people we met for coffee occasionally ordered cake.
The phrase “occasionally” is intended to modify the action of ordering cake, indicating that the people only sometimes ordered cake when meeting for coffee. The current placement of the modifier could be misinterpreted as if the people themselves only occasionally met for coffee, which is likely not the intended meaning. To resolve this ambiguity, you can rephrase the sentence like this:
“Occasionally, the people we met for coffee order cake.”
The modifier “occasionally” is moved to the beginning of the sentence, making it clear that the occasional action pertains to ordering cake when meeting for coffee, not the frequency of their coffee meetings. Upon entering the doctor’s office, a skeleton caught my attention.
The phrase “Upon entering the doctor's office” is intended to describe the time when the speaker noticed the skeleton. It can currently be interpreted as if the skeleton entered the doctor’s office when the speaker did, which is likely not the intended meaning. To resolve this ambiguity, you an write it like this:
“When I entered the doctor’s office, a skeleton caught my attention.”
The modifier “Upon entering the doctor's office” is replaced with “When I entered the doctor's office,” making it clear that the speaker, not the skeleton, was the one entering
the office. Pippa chased a squirrel up into a tree.
This sentence is not necessarily ambiguous, but it can be slightly unclear regarding the sentence of events. The sentence implies that Pippa chased the squirrel and that action resulted in the squirrel going up into a tree.
If you want to make the sequence of events more explicit, you can rephrase the sentence like this:
“Pippa chased a squirrel, causing it to go up into a tree.”
In this corrected sentence, it’s clear that Pippa’s chasing of the squirrel led to the squirrel going up into the tree. Part 2
: Agreement
Make corrections to the sentences below to align the agreement between parts
of speech, and explain your change(s). If you make no changes to the original sentence, explain why the sentence exhibits proper agreement.
A good set of golf clubs cost nearly a thousand dollars.
The sentence above contains a subject-verb error. The subject “a good set of golf clubs”
is singular, but the verb “cost” is in the plural form. “A good set of golf clubs costs nearly a thousand dollars.”
In this corrected sentence, the singular subject now agrees with the singular verb, making the sentence grammatically correct. A driver’s license or credit card is required. The subject of the sentence, “A driver’s license or credit card,” is a compound subject connected by the conjunction “or.” In this case, it is understood that only one of the two
items is required, so the singular verb “is” is appropriate. This sentence exhibits proper agreement. The Labrador retriever’s nose, like his paws, was quite kissable.
The subject, “The Labrador retriever’s nose,” is singular, but the verb “was” is also singular. When referring to both the nose and paws, it should be plural. “The Labrador retriever’s nose, like his paws, were quite kissable.”
In this corrected sentence, the plural verb “were” matches the plural subject “The Labrador retriever’s nose” and “his paws,” making the sentence grammatically correct. In this course, everyone writes their best prose.
The word “everyone” is a singular indefinite pronoun, so it should be paired with the singular possessive pronoun “his” or “her” instead of “their.” “In this course, everyone writes his or her best prose.”
The corrected sentence uses “his or her” to ensure that the pronoun agrees in number with the singular “everyone.”
The jury has reached their decision.
The sentence “The jury has reached their decision” contains a subject-pronoun agreement error. The word “jury” is a collective noun, and in formal writing, it’s typically
treated as a singular entity. Therefore, it should be paired with the singular pronoun “its” rather than the plural “their.” “The jury has reached its decision.”
In this corrected sentence, the singular pronoun “its” aligns with the singular collective noun “jury,” making the sentence grammatically correct.
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