GED Reasoning Through Language Arts
Modifiers & Parallel Structure
A modifier is descriptive material that must sit next to the thing it describes — move it away and the sentence says something absurd. Parallel structure means items in a list must wear the same grammatical outfit. Both errors are about matching.
The words first
- modifier
- a word or phrase that describes something else
- dangling modifier
- a description whose target is missing from the sentence
- misplaced modifier
- a description sitting next to the wrong word
- parallel structure
- list items in matching grammatical form
The method
MODIFIERS — the neighbor rule
✗ Running for the bus, my backpack split open.
(the backpack was running?)
✓ Running for the bus, I felt my backpack split open.
The phrase describes whoever stands RIGHT AFTER the comma.
✗ She served cake to the children on paper plates.
(children on plates?)
✓ She served cake on paper plates to the children.
PARALLEL STRUCTURE — the matching-outfits rule
✗ He likes hiking, to fish, and swam.
✓ He likes hiking, fishing, and swimming.
Test lists after: both…and, either…or, not only…but also
✓ not only CHEAPER but also FASTER (adjective / adjective)
Worked all the way through
The problem
Fix this: "Covered in mud, Mom made the dog wait outside."
- Step 1 — Find the modifier."Covered in mud" — a description waiting for its owner.
- Step 2 — Apply the neighbor rule.The words right after the comma are "Mom." So the sentence says MOM is covered in mud.
- Step 3 — Move the true owner next to the description.The dog is the muddy one: "Covered in mud, the dog waited outside at Mom's insistence" or "Mom made the muddy dog wait outside."
On the board
modifier: covered in mud
who is muddy?
neighbor after comma: Mom ✗
the sentence blames Mom
intended owner: the dog
put the dog next to the mud
"…the muddy dog…"
Answer
Mom made the muddy dog wait outside.
A second one, in a different form
Fix the list: "The job requires typing quickly, accuracy, and to be patient."
item 1: typing quickly
-ing form
item 2: accuracy
noun ✗ mismatch
item 3: to be patient
to-form ✗ mismatch
dress all three the same
typing…, working accurately, staying patient — or nouns: speed, accuracy, patience
Answer
The job requires speed, accuracy, and patience.
The usual mistake
Leaving the actor out entirely, so the sentence attaches the description to the wrong thing.
Check yourself
For modifiers, ask WHO is doing the describing-phrase and make sure that who sits right beside it. For lists, read the items back-to-back — any item wearing a different outfit is the error.
Practice it
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