Difficulty: Easy

Average Score: 100%

Which one of the following sentences contains a dangling modifier?

Rationale

My brother had an old truck that sat by the garage that needed paint.

This sentence contains a dangling modifier because the phrase "that needed paint" is incorrectly placed, leading to ambiguity about which noun it modifies. It creates confusion, suggesting that the garage needs paint rather than the truck.

A (The contented puppy sat by the sleeping young child) YOUR ANSWER

This sentence is clear and grammatically correct, with no dangling modifiers present. The subject "The contented puppy" is correctly positioned, and the phrase "by the sleeping young child" accurately describes the location of the puppy without ambiguity.

B (Drivers in our state are confused by the outdated driving law) YOUR ANSWER

This option is also free of dangling modifiers. The structure clearly states that "Drivers in our state" are confused, and the modification "by the outdated driving law" appropriately describes what causes the confusion, maintaining clarity throughout.

C (Adequate lighting is important for anyone who is studying or reading) YOUR ANSWER

This sentence does not contain a dangling modifier either. It clearly communicates that adequate lighting is essential for "anyone who is studying or reading," with no misplaced phrases that would lead to confusion or ambiguity.

D (My brother had an old truck that sat by the garage that needed paint) CORRECT

This sentence is problematic because it implies that the garage, rather than the truck, is the subject needing paint due to the placement of the modifying phrase. This confusion exemplifies a dangling modifier, as it disrupts the intended meaning.

Conclusion

A dangling modifier occurs when a descriptive phrase is not clearly linked to the word it modifies, causing ambiguity. Among the options provided, sentence D stands out as the only one that contains a dangling modifier, leading to confusion about which noun requires painting. The other sentences maintain clarity and proper structure without any such grammatical issues.

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