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Question

Difficulty: EasyMisplaced and Dangling Modifiers

While kneading the dough for the pizza, a sudden loud noise startled Maria.

Which of the following versions of the underlined portion results in the most logical and grammatically correct sentence?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. Maria was startled by a sudden loud noiseAnswer
  3. C
    a sudden loud noise that startled Maria
  4. D
    Maria was startled by a sudden loud noise, the dough fell to the floor

Answer

Maria was startled by a sudden loud noise
The correct option resolves the dangling modifier by placing the logical actor, the person who was kneading the dough, as the grammatical subject of the clause immediately after the comma.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the logical subject of the introductory modifying phrase.
The action of 'kneading the dough' must be performed by a person, which in this context is Maria.
An introductory participial phrase must modify the subject that directly follows the comma.
2
Evaluate the choices to locate the one that begins with the logical subject without introducing other grammatical errors.
The phrase starting with 'Maria was startled' places the correct subject right after the modifier and forms a complete, grammatically sound sentence.
This fixes the dangling modifier and maintains proper sentence structure.

Key Concept

An introductory modifying phrase must immediately precede the noun or pronoun it logically describes to prevent a dangling modifier.
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Topics

Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

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