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English lesson plan · 8th grade (Year 9 in England) · 60 minutes

Fixing dangling participle phrases

Grammar

CCSS L.7.1.CCCSS L.8.1.AEngland: KS3 English (grammar: clarity)England: SAT Standard English ConventionsEngland: ACT English

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Fixing dangling participle phrases.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Misplaced and dangling modifiers; -ing words: gerund, participle or main verb?

Leads to: After an opening modifier, choose the right subject (SAT)

Materials: Sentence strips, Highlighters, Mini whiteboards, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 6 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Misplaced and dangling modifiers; -ing words: gerund, participle or main verb?). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which sentence is written correctly, with the describing words next to what they describe? • Tom's keys, running for the bus, dropped. • Running for the bus, Tom's keys were dropped. • Running for the bus, Tom dropped his keys. • Running for the bus, the keys fell out of Tom's pocket. (Tom's keys, running for the bus, dropped. / Running for the bus, Tom's keys were dropped. / Running for the bus, Tom dropped his keys. / Running for the bus, the keys fell out of Tom's pocket.) → Running for the bus, Tom dropped his keys.Prompt: Look at the opening phrase. Who or what is doing that action?
  2. What is the word in capitals doing in this sentence? The children were LAUGHING at the clown. (gerund (works as a noun) / participle (works as an adjective) / part of the main verb (is/was …ing)) → part of the main verb (is/was …ing)Prompt: Is there a helping verb (is, was, were, are) right before it? Then it's part of the main verb.
  3. In which sentence is the word in capitals used like this: gerund (works as a noun)? (The dog was BARKING all night. / Thanks for HELPING me. / She is SWIMMING across the bay.) → Thanks for HELPING me.Prompt: Is there a helping verb (is, was, were, are) right before it? Then it's part of the main verb.

Hook · 6 min

  • Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
  • Share the objective: Fixing dangling participle phrases. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 12 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Is the opening phrase correctly attached, or is it a dangling modifier? Covered in mud, the dog was washed by its owner.
  • Step 1: An opening participle phrase describes the subject that comes right after it. If that subject can't do the action, the modifier dangles.
  • Step 2: The dog was covered in mud.
  • Step 3: So the answer is: correct
  • Answer: correct
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 12 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Is the opening phrase correctly attached, or is it a dangling modifier? Walking to school, the rain started to pour. (correct / dangling modifier) → dangling modifierPrompt: Ask: who or what is doing the action in the opening phrase?
  2. This sentence has a dangling modifier. Which choice fixes it? Opening the box, a puppy jumped out. • Opening the box, a puppy suddenly jumped out. • Opening the box a puppy jumped out. • When I opened the box, a puppy jumped out. • A puppy, opening the box, jumped out. (Opening the box, a puppy suddenly jumped out. / Opening the box a puppy jumped out. / When I opened the box, a puppy jumped out. / A puppy, opening the box, jumped out.) → When I opened the box, a puppy jumped out.Prompt: Who is really doing the action in the opening phrase?

You do: independent practice · 17 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 7 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. This sentence has a dangling modifier. Which choice fixes it? Running for the bus, my phone fell out of my pocket. • Running for the bus, I dropped my phone out of my pocket. • My phone, running for the bus, fell out. • Running for the bus my phone fell out of my pocket. • Running for the bus, my phone dropped from my pocket quickly. (Running for the bus, I dropped my phone out of my pocket. / My phone, running for the bus, fell out. / Running for the bus my phone fell out of my pocket. / Running for the bus, my phone dropped from my pocket quickly.) → Running for the bus, I dropped my phone out of my pocket.Prompt: Who is really doing the action in the opening phrase?
  2. Is the opening phrase correctly attached, or is it a dangling modifier? Covered in mud, the dog was washed by its owner. (correct / dangling modifier) → correctPrompt: Ask: who or what is doing the action in the opening phrase?

Watch out for

  • Naming the feature but not using it in their own sentences.
  • Thinking a sentence is right because it sounds right when spoken casually.

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Misplaced and dangling modifiers.
  • Use concrete materials: sentence strips.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Move on to: After an opening modifier, choose the right subject (SAT).
  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-8.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Fixing dangling participle phrases

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    This sentence has a dangling modifier. Which choice fixes it? Burnt to a crisp, I threw the toast away. • Burnt to a crisp, I threw away the toast. • I, burnt to a crisp, threw the toast away. • Burnt to a crisp I threw the toast away. • I threw away the toast, which was burnt to a crisp.

    • A. Burnt to a crisp, I threw away the toast.
    • B. I, burnt to a crisp, threw the toast away.
    • C. Burnt to a crisp I threw the toast away.
    • D. I threw away the toast, which was burnt to a crisp.

  2. Question 2

    Is the opening phrase correctly attached, or is it a dangling modifier? Excited about the trip, we packed our bags the night before.

    • A. correct
    • B. dangling modifier

  3. Question 3

    This sentence has a dangling modifier. Which choice fixes it? Running for the bus, my phone fell out of my pocket. • Running for the bus, my phone dropped from my pocket quickly. • Running for the bus, I dropped my phone out of my pocket. • Running for the bus my phone fell out of my pocket. • My phone, running for the bus, fell out.

    • A. Running for the bus, my phone dropped from my pocket quickly.
    • B. Running for the bus, I dropped my phone out of my pocket.
    • C. Running for the bus my phone fell out of my pocket.
    • D. My phone, running for the bus, fell out.

  4. Question 4

    This sentence has a dangling modifier. Which choice fixes it? Hungry and cold, the hut was a welcome sight. • The hut, hungry and cold, was a welcome sight. • Hungry and cold, the hut looked welcoming. • Hungry and cold, the hikers were glad to see the hut. • Hungry and cold the hut was welcome.

    • A. The hut, hungry and cold, was a welcome sight.
    • B. Hungry and cold, the hut looked welcoming.
    • C. Hungry and cold, the hikers were glad to see the hut.
    • D. Hungry and cold the hut was welcome.

  5. Question 5

    Is the opening phrase correctly attached, or is it a dangling modifier? Having finished the test, the room was silent.

    • A. correct
    • B. dangling modifier

  6. Question 6

    This sentence has a dangling modifier. Which choice fixes it? Hungry and cold, the hut was a welcome sight. • Hungry and cold, the hut looked welcoming. • Hungry and cold, the hikers were glad to see the hut. • Hungry and cold the hut was welcome. • The hut, hungry and cold, was a welcome sight.

    • A. Hungry and cold, the hut looked welcoming.
    • B. Hungry and cold, the hikers were glad to see the hut.
    • C. Hungry and cold the hut was welcome.
    • D. The hut, hungry and cold, was a welcome sight.

  7. Question 7

    Is the opening phrase correctly attached, or is it a dangling modifier? Having finished the test, the students sat silently.

    • A. correct
    • B. dangling modifier

  8. Question 8

    This sentence has a dangling modifier. Which choice fixes it? After practising for hours, the song finally sounded right. • After practising for hours, Mia finally got the song right. • After practising for hours the song sounded right. • The song, after practising for hours, sounded right. • After practising for hours, the song was finally right.

    • A. After practising for hours, Mia finally got the song right.
    • B. After practising for hours the song sounded right.
    • C. The song, after practising for hours, sounded right.
    • D. After practising for hours, the song was finally right.

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Answer key: Fixing dangling participle phrases

  1. 1. D. I threw away the toast, which was burnt to a crisp.

  2. 2. A. correct

  3. 3. B. Running for the bus, I dropped my phone out of my pocket.

  4. 4. C. Hungry and cold, the hikers were glad to see the hut.

  5. 5. B. dangling modifier

  6. 6. B. Hungry and cold, the hikers were glad to see the hut.

  7. 7. A. correct

  8. 8. A. After practising for hours, Mia finally got the song right.