Extract:
Select the word or phrase that is misplaced in the following sentence.
The book is in my locker at school that is long overdue.
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A
The book
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B
in my locker
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C
at school
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D
that is long overdue
The phrase "that is long overdue" is misplaced because it currently modifies "school" rather than "book," creating a logical absurdity.
A) The book
"The book" is correctly positioned as the sentence subject. No misplacement affects this noun phrase.
B) in my locker
Prepositional phrase "in my locker" correctly modifies "book" by specifying location. Its placement immediately after "book" creates logical attachment.
C) at school
Prepositional phrase "at school" correctly modifies "locker" by specifying the locker's location. Its placement after "locker" creates logical hierarchical modification (book → in locker → at school).
D) that is long overdue
Relative clause "that is long overdue" is misplaced, it currently attaches to "school" due to proximity, illogically suggesting the school is overdue rather than the book. It should directly follow "book" ("The book that is long overdue is in my locker...").
Conclusion
Modifiers must be placed as close as possible to the words they modify to prevent misattachment. The relative clause describing the book's status incorrectly attaches to "school" due to terminal placement, creating semantic absurdity that the institution, not the book, is overdue.