A misplaced modifier — Sentence Correction Aptitude Question
A misplaced modifier: Choose the correct sentence: Answer and worked solution on CodeKairo.
- Topic: Sentence Correction
- Section: Verbal Ability
- Difficulty: Medium
- Time target: 50 seconds
Question
Choose the correct sentence:
Options
- Running down the street, Ram missed the bus.
- Ram missed the bus, running down the street by him.
- The bus, running down the street, was missed by Ram.
- Running down the street, the bus was missed by Ram.
Show the answer and the worked solution
Correct answer: A. Running down the street, Ram missed the bus.
Worked solution
- The opening phrase Running down the street must describe whoever comes next.
- Only in 'Running down the street, Ram missed the bus' does it describe Ram, who was doing the running.
Answer: Running down the street, Ram missed the bus.
The idea
An introductory participial phrase attaches to the first noun after the comma. If that noun could not perform the action, the modifier dangles.
Shortcut. Discard the passives first: both 'was missed by Ram' versions make the bus the subject. Of the two left, 'running down the street by him' is garbled, so the answer is the one with Ram right after the comma.
Common trap. "Running down the street, the bus was missed by Ram." keeps the correct opening phrase and sounds formal, but the first noun after the comma is the bus, so the bus does the running.