Grammar Lesson
Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
In English grammar, a modifier is a word or group of words which changes the
meaning of another word.
Modifier
Ex. The slender woman who modeled the designer’s clothes was paid
a huge salary.
The word slender is a modifier that describes what kind of
woman, and the group of words who modeled the designer’s
clothes is a clause that tells more about the woman.
In order to make meaning clear, modifiers must be next to or close to the word
or words to which they refer. Misplaced modifiers are placed too far away from
the word(s) they modify and, therefore, confuse the meaning of the sentence.
This is also called awkward placement.
Misplaced modifier
Ex. We ate a taco after we saw the movie which was too spicy.
What is too spicy—the movie or the taco? Obviously, the
writer meant the taco was too spicy, but the clause which was
too spicy is too far away from the word taco. To correct the
sentence move the clause next to the word taco.
Corrected modifier
Ex. We ate a taco which was too spicy after we saw the movie.
Single-word modifiers such as almost, nearly, even, hardly should be placed
directly before the word they modify.
Misplaced modifier
Ex. The contestant almost ate ten dill pickles.
The contestant actually did eat the pickles, so the word almost
is misplaced. It really means he did not quite eat all of the ten
pickles. Perhaps he ate nine pickles.
Corrected modifier
Ex. The contestant ate almost ten dill pickles.
Note: Correcting misplaced modifiers involves moving the existing words around
within the sentence.
A dangling modifier is a word group that opens a sentence which must be
followed directly by the word it describes. If the word described does not follow
the word group, then it must be placed right after the group or within the
group.
Dangling modifier
Ex. Riding his horse, a pitbull attacked Hercules on the leg.
Who was riding the horse? Was the pitbull riding the horse?
No, Hercules was riding the horse.
Corrected dangling modifier
Ex. While riding his horse, Hercules was attacked on the leg by a
pitbull.
Or :
While Hercules was riding his horse, a pitbull attacked him on the leg.
Sometimes correcting dangling modifiers involves adding words that are missing
from the sentence.
Dangling modifier
Ex. Having no background in science, my success in biology
depended on my attendance at tutoring.
My success does not have a background in science, but it is a
person who does not have a background in science. To correct this
sentence the word I needs to be added
Corrected modifier
Ex. Having no background in science, I depended on my attendance
at tutoring for my success.
I.
Read Chapter 16 & 17 on Misplaced Modifiers and Dangling Modifiers in
Langan textbook on pp. 246-250 and pp. 254- 257.
II.
Do Practices 1 & 2 in Langan textbook on pp. 247-249. Also, do Practice
1 in Langan textbook on pp. 256-257. Check answers in back of book.
III.
Do the practice exercises at the online websites below.
http://aliscot.com/bigdog/dmmm_exercise.htm (dangling and misplaced
modifiers)
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/quizzes/niu/niu9.htm
(dangling and misplaced modifiers)
IV.
Take the online quiz in Blackboard by the required date.