Dangling/Misplaced Modifiers

Dangling/Misplaced Modifiers

A dangling or misplaced modifier occurs when a modifier seems to describe one word when it really refers to something completely different, or doesn’t refer to anything at all.

 Modifiers give more information about other words.
 You should place modifiers next to their target-the word they describe.
 Not only can this error confuse the reader, but it can also lead to some strange sentences!

Simply placing the word on the wrong side of the subject can change the meaning of a sentence completely. Take these two:

1. I almost lost 5000 dollars betting on horses.
(means she almost lost a lump sum of 5000 dollars, but didn’t)

2. I lost almost 5000 dollars betting on horses.
(means that she did lose a lot of money, approaching a total of 5000 dollars.)

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Often a modifier error involves a gerund (an ing word acting as a noun). When the subject that is acting (performing the ing clause) is not clearly connected to the verb, that’s where confusion wrecks the meaning of the sentence.

Examples

1. Painting recognizable objects at first, art critics were offended when Picasso began experimenting with abstract ones.

2. Diving under the water, I saw the dolphins through the glass

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The reader assumes whatever noun comes immediately after the introductory phrase is the subject attached to it. But, in this case, the wrong subject is connected to the wrong modifier. The first sentence tells us that the art critics were painting recognizable objects, but the writer means that Picasso was, instead. The second sentence tells us that the narrator was the one diving under the water, but she means the dolphins were, instead.

Here are the sentences, revised:

1. Painting recognizable objects at first, Picasso offended art critics when he began experimenting with abstract ones.

2. Through the glass, I saw the dolphins diving under the water

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There are several ways to revise a sentence with these errors:

 For dangling modifiers, give them a subject to connect to.
 For misplaced modifiers, place them nearer the word they should modify.
 Often, a simple reordering of the sentence is enough.

Look at these sentences and their revisions:

Dangling: It was reported that the bank was robbed by the Charlestown police.
The police robbed the bank?
Corrected: The Charlestown police reported that the bank was robbed.

Dangling: Staring out through the trees, the storm was blowing the leaves everywhere. Storms can’t stare
Corrected: As I was starting out through the trees, the storm was blowing the leaves everywhere.

Misplaced: When ripe, Todd picks oranges in his father’s grove.
When Todd is ripe?
Corrected: Todd picks oranges in his father’s grove when they are ripe.

Multiple Choice

Choose the sentence with a dangling or misplaced modifier:

• Driving across the country, I learned a lot about people.

• Please push the emergency button, not the off button, which is on the left.

• Knowing there was something better out there, she quit her job.

• Running for hours a day, Kevin was finally ready for the marathon

Multiple Choice

Choose the sentence that uses a clear and correct modifier:

• My dad says the dogs were chasing people in cars.

• I watched my sister swim through the window.

• He ate the macaroni at the table that my sister made.

• Deciding to cut her own hair, my sister picked up the scissors.