Modifiers

MISPLACED AND DANGLING Modifiers

Poll

How confident do you feel about dangling modifiers?

• I have absolutely no clue.

• I'm okay with them, but I could still use some clarification.

• I hate to brag, but I'm pretty good at dangling modifiers.

• I AM A GENIUS when it comes to dangling modifiers.

MISPLACED AND DANGLING MODIFIERS

Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that adds to the meaning of, changes, clarifies, or describes another word, phrase, or clause.

Sometimes writers use modifiers incorrectly, leading to strange and unintentionally humorous sentences. The two common types of modifier errors are called misplaced modifiers and dangling modifiers.

Let’s look at some dangling modifier and misplaced modifier examples to clear things up. Here’s an example of a dangling modifier:

Happy that school was over, the afternoon was quite relaxing. 

EXAMPLE:​

Now, let’s look at a similar misplaced modifier example:

Happy that school was over, the afternoon was quite relaxing for the students. 

With the dangling modifier, the word students isn’t in the sentence. With the misplaced modifier, the word it describes is there, but in the wrong place.

In both cases, you can fix the problem by placing the modifier next to the word or phrase it describes.

Happy that school was over, the students thought the afternoon was quite relaxing.

A dangling modifier

is a modifier that isn't clearly attached to another part of the sentence.​

• ​Unlike a misplaced modifier, a dangling modifier cannot be corrected by simply moving it to a different place in a sentence

  ​

• In most cases, a dangling modifier appears at the beginning of the sentence, although it can also come at the end.​

While driving on Abbeville Avenue yesterday afternoon, a tree began to fall toward the car.​

EXAMPLE:​

​As it is written, it sounds like the tree is driving. By simply adding in a subject (noun or pronoun), the meaning is no longer "dangling" and becomes clear.

Corrected: While Jenny was driving on Abbeville Avenue yesterday afternoon, a tree began to fall toward her car.

Strolling through the park, the fox peered out from behind the tree.

EXAMPLE:​

​As it is written, it sounds like a fox is strolling through the park and peering out from behind a tree. Let's add in a subject to fix it.

Corrected: Strolling through the park, I saw a fox peering at me from behind the tree.

Multiple Choice

While chatting on the phone, the doorbell rang.

• Dangling

• Misplaced

• Correct

Multiple Choice

Boiling in hot water, Kerri stirred the rice.

• Dangling

• Misplaced

• Correct

Multiple Choice

Studying for weeks, the test was easy.

• Dangling

• Misplaced

• Correct

Multiple Choice

Heaped up next to the hamper, I began doing the laundry.

• Dangling

• Misplaced

• Correct

Poll

The meal was forgotten welcoming the visitors.

• Dangling

• Misplaced

• Correct

Multiple Choice

Running across the dining room floor, I lost my balance after slipping on a rug.

• Dangling

• Misplaced

• Correct

Multiple Choice

Caught in the net, I examined the lovely sand dollar.

• Dangling

• Misplaced

• Correct

Multiple Choice

Nervously straightening his tie and smoothing his hair, the time to pick up his date for the dance had arrived.

• Dangling

• Misplaced

• Correct

Multiple Choice

Feeling nervous, nails were bitten.

• Dangling

• Misplaced

• Correct

Multiple Choice

Chasing his sister, Billy fell and bruised his knee.

• Dangling

• Misplaced

• Correct

Multiple Choice

Running scared, the cat climbed up the tree.

• Dangling

• Misplaced

• Correct

Open Ended

Correct the dangling modifier:

Playing around, the lamps got broken.

Open Ended

Correct the dangling modifier:

Driving home, our car got a flat tire.

Open Ended

Correct the dangling modifier:

Waiting for my friend, the weather turned bad.

Open Ended

Correct the dangling modifier:

Taking out the garbage, snow started to fall.

Open Ended

Correct the dangling modifier:

Dashing through the snow, a stone upset the sleigh.