Which sentence avoids a dangling modifier?

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Option C correctly places the participle phrase 'Reading the book' directly in front of the subject 'I,' ensuring that there is no dangling modifier. This structure establishes a clear connection between the action described in the introductory phrase and the subject performing the action, resulting in a grammatically correct sentence. Choice A, B, and D have dangling modifiers. In choice A, the phrase 'Walking down the street' should be followed by the noun it is describing to avoid the dangling modifier. Choice B has a dangling modifier as 'Having finished the report' does not have a clear subject to relate to. Choice D also has a dangling modifier as 'Exhausted from the hike' is not properly connected to the subject in the sentence.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D because it uses a question mark within the quoted material as it is a direct question. In this case, the sentence is a reported question, so it does not need additional punctuation within the reported speech. Choice A is incorrect as it incorrectly adds a comma before 'if.' Choice B is incorrect because a colon is not appropriate before 'if' in this context. Choice C is incorrect as it adds an unnecessary comma after 'wanted.'

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The error in the sentence is a misplaced modifier. The phrase 'except for me' should ideally modify 'me,' but it is incorrectly placed after 'knew,' leading to confusion about who the exception applies to. 'Subject-verb agreement' is incorrect as there is no disagreement between the subject and the verb. 'Dangling participle' is incorrect as there are no dangling participles in the sentence. 'Pronoun-antecedent agreement' is incorrect as the pronoun 'me' correctly refers to the antecedent 'I'; the issue lies with the placement of the modifier.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The clause 'When the clock struck midnight' is a subordinate clause because it does not express a complete thought on its own and depends on the main clause 'the magic began' to form a complete sentence. Subordinate clauses typically begin with subordinating conjunctions like 'when,' 'if,' 'because,' etc., and serve to provide additional information or context to the main clause. Choice A, 'Main clause,' is incorrect because the highlighted clause is not the primary clause that provides the main idea. Choice C, 'Appositive clause,' is incorrect as an appositive clause renames or explains a noun in the sentence, which is not the case here. Choice D, 'Noun clause,' is incorrect as a noun clause functions as a noun within a sentence, and the highlighted clause does not act as a noun but rather as a dependent clause providing contextual information.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Metaphor. The statement 'His words were a dagger to my heart' is a metaphor. A metaphor directly compares two unlike things by stating that one thing is another. In this case, the pain caused by his words is compared to a physical object, a dagger, emphasizing the intensity of the emotional impact. Choice A, Metonymy, is incorrect as metonymy involves substituting the name of one object with another closely related object. Choice B, Simile, is incorrect as a simile compares two things using 'like' or 'as,' which is not present in the given statement. Choice D, Hyperbole, is incorrect as hyperbole involves exaggeration for emphasis, which is not the case in the given statement.