Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

1. Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

2. MODIFIERS • A modifieris a word, phrase, or clause that describes or changes the meaning of another word, phrase or clause in some way. • A misplaced modifier means that there is a separation of space between the word, phrase, or clause and the modifier. • When a modifier is misplaced, the meaning of your sentence becomes awkward, ridiculous, or confusing.

3. Fixing a Misplaced Modifier • When fixing a misplaced modifier, the general rule is to get the modifier as close as possible to the word or phrase it is modifying.

4. How Does a Misplaced Modifier Look in a Sentence? (adjectives) • On her way to work, Elaine saw the silver woman’s earringlaying on the park bench. • This sentence implies that there is a silver woman who left her earring on the park bench, not that the earring itself is silver. • On her way to work, Elaine saw the woman’s silver earring laying on the park bench. • Now the earring is silver instead of the woman.

5. How Does a Misplaced Modifier Look in a Sentence? (adjectives) • Try it… • The stolen man’s wallet was placed on the police department’s counter. • Answer: • The man’s stolen wallet was placed on the police department’s counter. Think about what was stolen – the man or the wallet?

6. How Does a Misplaced Modifier Look in a Sentence? (adverbs) • We drove off in the car we had just bought quickly. • Did we buy the car quickly, or did we drive the car quickly? • We quickly drove off in the car we had just bought. • Okay! We must have made a great deal and were afraid the dealership would change its mind! • Other adverbs to watch: • Only, just, almost

7. How Does a Misplaced Modifier Look in a Sentence? (phrases/clauses) • I chased the balloon running down the street. • Who was running – you or the balloon? Running down the street, I chased the balloon.

8. How Does a Misplaced Modifier Look in a Sentence? (phrases/clauses) • Splashing in the mud, we watched the pigs. • Who is splashing – you or the pig? Answer: We watched the pigs splashing in the mud.

9. Troublesome Words That Indicate Number… • Almost and nearly mean close to • Nouns can be counted; verbs cannot be counted, so these words should be close to the noun. • For example: He nearly swam for an hour. • How can somebody nearly swim? Is he in the water, or is he on dry land? • He swam for nearly an hour.

10. DANGLING MODIFIERS • Live things and machines do actions - if there is an action verb in your sentence, there must also be a living thing or a machine that does the action. • Whenever you have dangling modifier, you must add words to the sentence. Simply rearranging the sentence will NOT fix the problem.

11. Examples of Dangling Modifiers • Staring out over the ocean, the hurricane winds were daunting. • Who/What is staring? • Answer: Staring out over the ocean, Matt saw the daunting hurricane winds. • When in third grade, my mother went back to college. • This is a matter of logic – “my mother” could not have gone back to college in 3rd grade. • Answer: When I was in third grade, my mother went back to college.

12. Dangling Modifiers – Try These… Traveling in Florida, their dog ran away. Possible answer: While the Smiths were traveling in Florida, their dog ran away.

13. Dangling Modifiers – Try These… Running for the bus, my book fell in the mud. Possible answer: My book fell in the mud while I was running for the bus.