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Learn Index · Grammar and Conventions Grade 6–8

Misplaced modifiers and agreement errors

A modifier must sit next to what it describes, and a verb must agree with the true subject.

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Two families of errors

Some grammar errors make writing confusing or accidentally funny. Two common families are:

  1. Modifier errors: describing words placed in the wrong spot.
  2. Agreement errors: sentence parts that do not match.

Both can make readers stop, reread or misunderstand.

Part 1: Modifiers

A modifier is a word, phrase or clause that describes another part of the sentence. Modifiers should be placed next to the word they describe.

Misplaced modifiers

A misplaced modifier is in the wrong place, so it seems to describe the wrong thing.

✗ She served sandwiches to the children on paper plates. (Were the children on paper plates?)
✓ She served the children sandwiches on paper plates.

✗ I saw a deer driving to school. (Was the deer driving?)
✓ While driving to school, I saw a deer.

✗ The dog chased the ball wagging its tail.
✓ Wagging its tail, the dog chased the ball.

Limiting modifiers

Limiting modifiers such as only, just, almost, even, nearly, hardly, merely change meaning depending on placement.

  • Only Kai ate the cake. (No one else ate it.)
  • Kai only ate the cake. (He ate it; he did not do anything else with it.)
  • Kai ate only the cake. (He ate nothing else.)

Place limiting modifiers directly before the word they limit.

✗ I almost ate the whole pizza. (You nearly ate but did not?)
✓ I ate almost the whole pizza.

Dangling modifiers

A dangling modifier has nothing in the sentence to describe. It often appears as an introductory phrase.

✗ Walking into the room, the lights turned on. (The lights were walking?)
✓ Walking into the room, I turned on the lights.
✓ As I walked into the room, the lights turned on.

✗ After finishing the test, the bell rang.
✓ After I finished the test, the bell rang.

Test: the noun right after an introductory phrase should be the one doing the action in that phrase.

Fixing modifier errors

  1. Find the modifier and ask what it describes.
  2. Move it next to that word, or
  3. Add the missing word (for dangling modifiers), or
  4. Rewrite the phrase as a full clause.

Part 2: Agreement

Subject-verb agreement

A verb must match its subject in number. This is subject-verb agreement.

Tricky cases:

  1. Intervening phrases: ignore words between subject and verb.
    The collection of rare coins is valuable.
  2. Indefinite pronouns: an indefinite pronoun does not refer to a specific person.
    – Always singular: each, everyone, everybody, anyone, someone, nobody, either, neither. Each of the players has a jersey.
    – Always plural: both, few, many, several. Several were absent.
    – Depends on context: some, all, most, none, any. Some of the pie is gone. Some of the cookies are gone.
  3. Compound subjects with and: usually plural. Math and science are my favourites.
  4. Compound subjects with or/nor: agree with the nearer subject. Neither the coach nor the players were ready.
  5. Collective nouns (team, class, audience): usually singular. The audience was silent.
  6. Inverted sentences: There are many reasons. Here is the answer.
  7. Titles and amounts: singular. “The Hunger Games” is popular. Five dollars is enough.

Pronoun-antecedent agreement

A pronoun must match its antecedent in number and person. This is pronoun-antecedent agreement.

✗ Each student must bring their own lunch. (formal writing may prefer the alternatives below)
✓ Each student must bring his or her own lunch.
✓ All students must bring their own lunches.

Many style guides now accept singular they, especially when gender is unknown or for people who use they. In formal school writing, follow your teacher’s guidance; rewriting with a plural subject is often smoothest.

Vague pronoun reference

A vague pronoun reference occurs when it is unclear what a pronoun refers to.

✗ When Jess talked to Maria, she was upset. (Who was upset?)
✓ Maria was upset when Jess talked to her.

✗ They say exercise improves memory. (Who are “they”?)
✓ Researchers say exercise improves memory.

✗ I studied hard and slept well, which helped. (Which helped?)
✓ Studying hard and sleeping well both helped.

Worked examples

Example 1: Covered in mud, Mom made me take off my boots.
Dangling (Mom was covered in mud?). Fix: Covered in mud, I had to take off my boots before Mom let me in.

Example 2: Neither of the answers (is / are) correct.
Neither is singular: is.

Example 3: The team celebrated (its / their) victory.
Formal: its (collective noun as a unit).

Try it yourself

  1. Fix: Running for the bus, my backpack fell open.
  2. Fix: We saw a whale on the ferry.
  3. Choose: Everyone in the band (play / plays) an instrument.
  4. Choose: The box of markers (was / were) on the desk.
  5. Fix the vague pronoun: Tom told Raj that his bike was stolen.

Answers: 1. As I ran for the bus, my backpack fell open. 2. From the ferry, we saw a whale. 3. plays. 4. was. 5. Tom told Raj, “Your bike was stolen.” (or “My bike,” depending on meaning).

Study tip

When proofreading, circle every introductory phrase and check who or what follows the comma. Then underline each subject and its verb. These two quick checks catch most modifier and agreement errors.

Quick recap

  • Place modifiers next to the words they describe.
  • Dangling modifiers have nothing to describe; add the missing doer.
  • Placement of limiting words like only changes meaning.
  • Verbs agree with subjects; watch intervening phrases and indefinite pronouns.
  • Pronouns must clearly refer to and agree with their antecedents.