The Misplaced and
Dangling Modifier
…is often misplaced and it will
be the last place you look
(get it…?)
**Somebody raise your hand and ask this question**
“Mr. Rodney, what’s a Modifier and why is it misplaced and what
about that other modifier?”
• Modifiers (participle phrases, adjective clauses) are words, phrases,
or clauses that add description to sentences. Typically, you will find a
modifier snuggled right next to—either in front of or behind—the
word it logically describes.
• Sometimes a writer places the modifier too far away from the word it
should describe. Born in the confusion is a misplaced modifier, an
error.
• A dangling modifier is a phrase or clause that is not clearly and
logically related to the word or words it
• modifies (placed next to). Unlike a misplaced modifier, a dangling
modifier cannot be corrected by simply
• moving it to a different place in a sentence.
**Somebody raise your hand and ask this question**
“Mr. Rodney, what’s a participle phrase?”
• A participle phrase will begin with a present or past
participle. If the participle is present, it will dependably
end in -ing. Likewise, a regular past participle will end in a
consistent ed. Irregular past participles, unfortunately,
conclude in all kinds of ways.
• Since all phrases require two or more words, a participle
phrase will often include objects and/or modifiers that
complete the thought
Participle phrases always function as adjectives,
adding description to the sentence. Read these
examples:
• The horse trotting up to the fence hopes that you have
an apple or carrot.
• Trotting up to the fence modifies the noun horse.
• The water drained slowly in the pipe clogged with dog
hair.
• Clogged with dog hair modifies the noun pipe.
• Eaten by mosquitoes, we wished that we had made
hotel, not campsite, reservations.
• Eaten by mosquitoes modifies the pronoun we
**Somebody raise your hand and ask this question**
“Mr. Rodney, what’s an adjective clause?”
• An adjective clause—also called an adjectival or relative
clause—will meet three requirements:
• First, it will contain a subject and verb.
• Next, it will begin with a relative pronoun [who, whom,
whose, that, or which] or a relative adverb [when, where,
or why].
• Finally, it will function as an adjective, answering the
questions What kind? How many? or Which one?
The adjective clause will follow one of these
two patterns:
•Relative Pronoun or Adverb + Subject + Verb
•Relative Pronoun as Subject + Verb
Adjective Clause Examples:
• Whose big, brown eyes pleaded for another cookie
• Whose = relative pronoun; eyes = subject; pleaded = verb.
• Why Fred cannot stand sitting across from his sister
Melanie
• Why = relative adverb; Fred = subject; can stand = verb
[not, an adverb, is not officially part of the verb].
• That bounced across the kitchen floor
• That = relative pronoun functioning as subject; bounced =
verb.
The modifier and where we should put it…
• Take the simple, one-word adjective blue. If
we add it to the sentence that follows, where
should it go?
• At a downtown dealership, Kara bought a
truck from a salesman with a comb over.
• At a downtown dealership, Kara bought a
blue truck from a salesman with a comb over.
Sometimes a writer places the modifier too far away from
the word it should describe. Born in the confusion is a
misplaced modifier, an error. Read and fix these examples:
• Churning in the Atlantic Ocean, we anxiously watched the
weather report for information about the hurricane.
• We anxiously watched the weather report for information
about the hurricane churning in the Atlantic Ocean.
• Raymond wore his one collared shirt to the job interview,
which was unfortunately stained with yellow mustard.
• Raymond wore his one collared shirt, which was
unfortunately stained with yellow mustard, to the job
interview.
In a similar manner, multi-word phrases and clauses often
go right next to the word they describe. Here are some
examples: Identify the participle phrase and the noun it
describes
• Gazing out the window, Paul missed the homework
assignment that Prof. Zuromski wrote on the board.
• Gazing out the window is a participle phrase describing
Paul, the noun that follows.
• Sam gobbled the sandwich, which was soggy with
tomato juice, as he rushed to class.
• Which was soggy with tomato juice is an adjective
clause describing sandwich, the noun before it.
More Examples of Misplaced Modifiers…Read and fix these
examples:
• Professor Jones, who was late with another essay, waited for
the slacker student.
• Professor Jones waited for the slacker student who was late
with another essay.
• She handed out brownies to the children stored in
Tupperware.
• She handed out brownies, stored in Tupperware, to the
children.
Dangling Modifiers and how to fix them:
Sometimes the dangling modifier error occurs because the sentence
fails to specify anything to which the
modifier can refer.
•Looking toward the west, a funnel shaped
cloud stirred up dust.
2 Ways to Fix a Dangling Modifier:
• Correction Method 1
• 1. Leave the modifier as it is.
• 2. Change the main part of the sentence so that it begins with
the term actually modified.
• 3. This change will put the modifier next to the term it
modifies
• Dangling: Looking toward the west, a funnel shaped cloud
stirred up dust.
• Good: Looking toward the west, I saw a funnel shaped cloud
stir up dust.
• Correction Method 2
• 1. Change the dangling phrase to a subordinate clause,
creating a subject and verb.
• 2. Leave the rest of the sentence as it is.
• Dangling: When nine years old, my mother enrolled in medical
school.
• Good: When I was nine years old, my mother enrolled in
medical school.
• Dangling: Having been fixed the night before, Priscilla could
use the car.
• Good: Since the car had been fixed the night before, Priscilla
could use it..