Khristina Gonzalez
Sample Grammar Mini-Lesson
Dangling Modifiers
Modifier: A sentence element that limits or qualifies another word, phrase, or clause.
Green Tea
Quickly Ran
Desolately Poor or Filthy Rich
Modifiers should always be as close to the modified word as possible.
You would not say: Handsome, all the girls loved the boy.
You would say: All the girls loved the handsome boy
The same is true for modifying phrases!
Phrases act as modifiers:
1)One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got into my pajamas, I don’t
know.
In this sentence, what does the prepositional phrase “in my pajamas” modify?
What should it modify?
Rewrite this sentence:
2)As a young boy, my grandmother read scary stories to me.
In this sentence, what does the phrase “as a young boy” modify?
What should it modify?
Rewrite this sentence:
Dangling Participles:
Participle: Derivative of a non-finite verb (to laughlaughing)
Participles can act as a modifier. Like any modifier, they should be placed as close to the
modified word as possible.
1)Strumming on his guitar, we realized how we knew the folk-guitarist.
What does the participle “strumming” modify in this sentence?
What should the participle modify?
Rewrite this sentence:
2)Boston tourists can see many statues of American patriots walking down the Freedom
Trail.
What does “walking” modify in this sentence?
What should it modify?
Rewrite this sentence:
Disjuncts: or, Now I’m confused.
Disjuncts—sentence elements that are not fully integrated into the sentence and are not
essential information to that sentence.
They express the speaker’s opinion on the content of the sentence.
Examples:
Honestly, I don’t love teaching grammar.
Fortunately for you, I will teach it.
Certainly, you will benefit from it.
Possible ambiguity in the use of disjuncts:
Barack Obama honestly worked for change.
Meaning: I honestly believe that Obama worked for change.
OR: Obama worked for change in an honest manner.
The problem with hopefully:
Hopefully, you understand this
Meaning: I am hopeful that you understand this.
OR: You are hopeful while you understand this.
A Better Example:
Hopefully, the sun comes out.
Meaning: I am hopeful that the sun comes out.
OR: The hopeful sun comes out.