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7th grade · English Language Arts · Unit 5 of 13

Modifiers & Parallelism

Clear, balanced sentences

What your child practices

Revising sentences so describing phrases sit next to what they describe (no misplaced or dangling modifiers) and list items match in form (parallel structure).

Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards benchmark: 7.2.1.3; 7.2.1.1 · placing modifiers and editing for correct grammar

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Put a describing phrase right next to the word it describes.
  2. A dangling modifier has nothing in the sentence to describe: “Baking cookies, the kitchen smelled good.” (The kitchen wasn’t baking.)
  3. Parallel structure: items in a list use the same form, like drawing, painting and building.

Example: Make the list parallel: “Amir loves drawing, to paint and building models.” Two items end in -ing; “to paint” doesn’t match. Change it to “painting.” Answer: Amir loves drawing, painting and building models.

Modifiers & Parallelism in Minnesota

In the Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards, this is unit 5 of 13 in 7th grade English Language Arts, after Clauses & Sentences and before Word Mix-Ups.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    Which revision makes the list parallel?

    The new library is quiet, spacious and has lots of books.

    • The new library is being quiet, spacious and well stocked.
    • The new library is quiet, has space and well stocked.
    • The new library is quiet, spacious and well stocked.

  2. Question 2

    Which revision fixes the dangling modifier?

    While brushing my teeth, the doorbell rang.

    • While brushing my teeth, the doorbell was ringing.
    • Brushing my teeth, the doorbell rang loudly.
    • The doorbell rang while brushing my teeth.
    • While I was brushing my teeth, the doorbell rang.

  3. Question 3

    Which sentence uses parallel structure?

    • Ana loves dancing, singing and to play the drums.
    • Ana loves to dance, singing and playing the drums.
    • Ana loves dancing, to sing and playing the drums.
    • Ana loves dancing, singing and playing the drums.

  4. Question 4

    Which sentence has a dangling modifier?

    • Walking into the gym, the noise was deafening.
    • As we walked into the gym, the noise was deafening.
    • The noise was deafening as we walked into the gym.
    • Walking into the gym, we heard deafening noise.

  5. Question 5

    Which sentence means that Kenji was the one person who passed the test?

    • Kenji passed only the test.
    • Kenji passed the test only.
    • Only Kenji passed the test.
    • Kenji only passed the test.

  6. Question 6

    Which sentence has a dangling modifier?

    • While Lena baked cookies, the kitchen smelled wonderful.
    • Baking cookies, Lena filled the kitchen with a wonderful smell.
    • The kitchen smelled wonderful while Lena baked cookies.
    • Baking cookies, the kitchen smelled wonderful.

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