NUMBERS, PARALLELISM, MISPLACED &

DANGLING MODIFIERS

NUMBERS
DIFFER ACCORDING TO STYLE GUIDE

MLA use numerals for numbers above one hundred

(starting with 101)
MLA spell out numbers one hundred and below
MLA spell out large round numbers (fifteen million)
APA spell out numbers one through nine, 10 and
above written numerically
Both when one number immediately follows another,
spell out one number and use numerals for other
(three 100-meter events, 25 four-poster beds)
Both always write out numbers that begin a sentence

NUMBERS
USE NUMERALS ACCORDING TO CONVENTION

Dates July 4, 1776; 56 BC; AD 30

Addresses 77 Latches Lane, 519 West 42nd Street
Percentages 55 percent (or 55%)
Fractions, Decimals , 0.047
Scores 7 to 3, 21 18
Statistics average age 37, average weight 180
Surveys 4 out of 5
Exact amounts of money - $105. 37
Divisions of books volume 3, Chapter 4, page 189
Divisions of plays act 3, scene 3 (or act III, scene iii)

NUMBERS
USE NUMERALS ACCORDING TO CONVENTION

Identification numbers serial number

10988675
Time of Day 4:00 p.m., 1:30 a.m.

When

not using a.m. or p.m., write out the time in

words (two oclock in the afternoon, twelve noon,
seven in the morning)

Parallelism

ENG 101

WHAT IS PARALLELISM?
Using the same pattern of words to show that two
or more ideas have the same importance

Patterns fall into four areas:

Words

and phrases

Forms
Clauses
Lists

PARALLELISM WORDS & PHRASES

Do not mix patterns with the ing form (gerund)
of words:

I like playing baseball, reading about sports, and

tacos.
I like playing baseball, reading about sports, and
eating tacos.

PARALLELISM WORDS & PHRASES

Do not mix patterns of infinitive phrases.
Mary likes to shop, to read, and jogging..

Mary like to shop, to read, and to jog.

PARALLELISM WORDS & PHRASES

Balance parallel ideas presented as pairs
Eitheror
not onlybut also

neithernor
bothand
whetheror

The teacher not only wants his students to keep quiet

but also to do the task.
The teacher wants his students not only to keep quiet
but also to do the task.
Thomas Edison was not only a prolific inventor but also
was a successful entrepreneur.
Omit was

PARALLELISM FORMS
Do not mix forms.
The teacher said that he was a poor student
because he waited until the last minute to
study for the exam, completed his lab problems
in a careless manner, and his motivation was
low.
The teacher said that he was a poor student
because he waited until the last minute to
study for the exam, completed his lab problems
in a careless manner, and lacked motivation.

PARALLELISM CLAUSES
A parallel structure that begins with clauses must
continue using clauses.
The salesman expected that he would present his
product at the meeting, that there would be time
for him to show his slide presentation, and
questions would be asked by prospective buyers.
The salesman expected that he would present his
product at the meeting, that there would be time
for him to show his slide presentation, and that
prospective buyers would ask him questions.

PARALLELISM CLAUSES
Repeat function words to clarify parallels
By, to, that, because
Our study revealed that left-handed students were
more likely to have trouble with classroom desks
and rearranging desks for exam periods was
useful.
Our study revealed that left-handed students were
more likely to have trouble with classroom desks
and that rearranging desks for exam periods was
useful.

PARALLELISM LISTS
Be sure to keep al the elements in a list in the
same form.

The dictionary can be used for these purposes: to

find word meanings, pronunciations, correct
spellings, and looking up irregular verbs.
The dictionary can be used for these purposes: to
find word meanings, pronunciations, correct
spellings, and irregular verbs.

Misplaced & Dangling Modifiers

ENG 101

MISPLACED & DANGLING MODIFIERS

Modifiers are words that describe other words
in a sentence
Modifiers should be near the words they modify
Linda saw the White House flying over
Washington, D.C.
Flying over Washington, D.C., Linda saw the White
House.
Trying to eat a hot dog, my bike swerved off the
path.
While I was trying to eat a hot dog, my bike
swerved off the path.

PUT LIMITING MODIFIERS IN FRONT OF THE

WORDS THEY MODIFY
Limiting modifiers = only, even, almost, nearly, just
These should appear in front of a verb only if they
modify the verb
At first, I couldnt even touch my toes, much less grasp
them.
If they limit the meaning of some other word in the
sentence, they should be placed in front of that word.
The cathedral took six centuries to almost complete.
The cathedral took almost six centuries to complete.
The cathedral almost took six centuries to complete.

PUT LIMITING MODIFIERS IN FRONT OF THE

WORDS THEY MODIFY
Limiting modifiers = only, even, almost, nearly, just
These should appear in front of a verb only if they
modify the verb
At first, I couldnt even touch my toes, much less grasp
them.
If they limit the meaning of some other word in the
sentence, they should be placed in front of that word.
The cathedral almost took six centuries to complete.
The cathedral took almost six centuries to complete.

PUT LIMITING MODIFIERS IN FRONT OF THE

WORDS THEY MODIFY
If you just interview chemistry majors, your
picture of the student bodys response to the
new grading policies will be incomplete.
We are only interviewing as opposed to any other
options
If you interview just chemistry majors, your
picture of the student bodys response to the
new grading policies will be incomplete.
We are only dealing with chemistry majors
If you interview just chemistry majors, your
picture of the student bodys response to the
new grading policies will be incomplete.

PLACE PHRASES AND CLAUSES SO THAT READERS

CAN SEE AT A GLANCE WHAT THEY MODIFY

The soccer player returned to the clinic

where he had undergone emergency surgery
in 2004 in a limousine sent by Adidas.
He had surgery in a limousine???
Traveling in a limousine sent by Adidas, the
soccer player returned to the clinic where he
had undergone emergency surgery in 2004

PLACE PHRASES AND CLAUSES SO THAT READERS

CAN SEE AT A GLANCE WHAT THEY MODIFY

There are many pictures of comedians who

have performed at Gavins on the walls.
The comedians are performing on the walls?
On the walls are many pictures of comedians
who have performed at Gavins.
The robber was described as a six-foot-tall man
with a heavy mustache weighing 170 pounds.
Thats a heavy mustache!!!
The robber was described as a 170-pound, sixfoot-tall man with a heavy mustache.

PLACE PHRASES AND CLAUSES SO THAT READERS

CAN SEE AT A GLANCE WHAT THEY MODIFY

A squinting modifier leads to ambiguity

The exchange students we met for coffee
occasionally questioned us about our latest
slang.
Did they meet occasionally? Or did the
questioning happen occasionally?
The exchange students we occasionally met for
coffee questioned us about our latest slang.
The exchange students we met for coffee
questioned us occasionally about our latest
slang.

MOVE AWKWARDLY PLACED MODIFIERS

A sentence should flow from subject to verb
to object without lengthy detours along with
way
Upset by the bad call, a hot-tempered tennis
player who charged the umpire and tried to
crack the poor man's skull with a racket, the
crowd cheered Robbie.
Upset by the bad call, the crowd cheered
Robbie, a hot-tempered tennis player who
charged the umpire and tried to crack the
poor man's skull with a racket.

AVOID AWKWARD SPLIT INFINITIVES

Infinitive = to plus base form of a verb (to think)
Split infinitive = modifier between to and verb
(to carefully balance, to completely understand)
When a long word or phrase appears between
parts of the infinitive, result is usually awkward
The patient should try to if possible avoid going
up and down stairs.
If possible, the patient should try to avoid going
up and down stairs.

DANGLING MODIFIERS
Modifier fails to refer logically to any word in
the sentence
Understanding the need to create checks and
balances on power, the Constitution divided
the government into three branches.
The document understood the need for checks
and balances?
Understanding the need to create checks and
balances on power, the framers of the
Constitution divided the government into three
branches.

WHERE VS. WHEN

April the first is known as All Fools Day ______
people play practical jokes on each other.
The pound _____ Bella found me is in
Kittanning.

WHICH VS. THAT

Gems _____ sparkle often elicit forgiveness.
Diamonds, _____ are expensive, often elicit
forgiveness.

There was an earthquake in China, _____ is

bad.

WHICH VS. THAT

Gems _____ sparkle often elicit forgiveness.

Restrictive ClauseThat
A restrictive clause is just part of a sentence that you
can't get rid of because it specifically restricts some
other part of the sentence.
Here's an example: The words that sparkle restrict the
kind of gems you're talking about. Without them, the
meaning of the sentence would change. Without them,
you'd be saying that all gems elicit forgiveness, not just
the gems that sparkle. (And note that you don't need
commas around the words that sparkle.)

WHICH VS. THAT

Diamonds, _____ are expensive, often elicit forgiveness.
There was an earthquake in China, _____ is bad.
Nonrestrictive ClauseWhich
A nonrestrictive clause is something that can be left off without
changing the meaning of the sentence. You can think of a
nonrestrictive clause as simply additional information.
Explanation: Diamonds are always expensive, so leaving out the words which
are expensive doesn't change the meaning of the sentence. (Also note that the
phrase is surrounded by commas. Nonrestrictive clauses are usually
surrounded by, or preceded by, commas.)

FOR MONDAY
Complete the task below this powerpoint slide
on weebly. Bring this to class in order to get
credit for todays canceled class.
Be prepared to discuss causal readings