Details On Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

Dangling Modifier
A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that modifies a word not clearly stated in
thesentence. A modifier describes, clarifies, or gives more detail about a concept.
Having finished the assignment, Jill turned on the TV.
"Having finished" states an action but does not name the doer of that action. In
English sentences, the doer must be the subject of the main clause that follows. In
this sentence, it is Jill. She seems logically to be the one doing the action ("having
finished"), and thissentence therefore does not have a dangling modifier.
The following sentence has an incorrect usage:
Having finished the assignment, the TV was turned on.
"Having finished" is a participle expressing action, but the doer is not the TV set
(thesubject of the main clause): TV sets don't finish assignments. Since the doer of
the action expressed in the participle has not been clearly stated, the participial
phrase is said to be a dangling modifier.
Strategies for revising dangling modifiers:
1. Name the appropriate or logical do-er of the action as the subject of the
mainclause:
Having arrived late for practice, a written excuse was needed.
Who arrived late? This sentence says that the written excuse arrived late. To
revise,decide who actually arrived late. The possible revision might look like
this:
Having arrived late for practice, the team captain needed a written excuse.
The main clause now names the person (the captain) who did the action in
themodifying phrase (arrived late).
2. Change the phrase that dangles into a complete introductory clause by
namingthe doer of the action in that clause:
Without knowing his name, it was difficult to introduce him.
Who didn't know his name? This sentence says that "it" didn't know his name. To
revise, decide who was trying to introduce him. The revision might look something
likethis:
Because Maria did not know his name, it was difficult to introduce him.
The phrase is now a complete introductory clause; it does not modify any other part
ofthe sentence, so is not considered "dangling."
3. Combine the phrase and main clause into one:
To improve his results, the experiment was done again.
Who wanted to improve results? This sentence says that the experiment was trying to
improve its own results. To revise, combine the phrase and the main clause into one
sentence. The revision might look something like this:
He improved his results by doing the experiment again.
More examples of dangling modifiers and their revisions:
INCORRECT: After reading the original study, the article remains
unconvincing.
REVISED: After reading the original study, I find the article unconvincing.
INCORRECT: Relieved of your responsibilities at your job, your home should
be aplace to relax.
REVISED: Relieved of your responsibilities at your job, you should be able to relax
athome.
INCORRECT: The experiment was a failure, not having studied the lab manual
carefully.
REVISED: They failed the experiment, not having studied the lab manual carefully.
Misplaced Modifier
Modifiers 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
wordit logically describes.
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.
Should we locate blue next to dealership? A blue downtown dealership? A blue

Kara? Ablue salesman? Of course not! Logic dictates that blue can describe only one
word, truck, so we must place the modifier next to that word:
At a downtown dealership, Kara bought a blue truck from a salesman with a comb
over.
In a similar manner, multi-word phrases and clauses often go right next to

theword they describe. Here are some examples:
Gazing out the window, Paul missed the homework assignment that Prof.
Zuromskiwrote 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.
As the hurricane approached, we watched the tree branches waving in the
strongbreeze.
Waving in the strong breeze is a participle phrase describing branches, the noun in front.
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 these
examples:
Churning in the Atlantic Ocean, we anxiously watched the weather report for
information about the hurricane.
Churning in the Atlantic Ocean is a participle phrase. In the current sentence, it is

describing the pronoun we. How illogical! We cannot churn in an ocean!
Raymond wore his one collared shirt to the job interview, which
wasunfortunately stained with yellow mustard.
Which was unfortunately stained with yellow mustard is an adjective clause. In the
sentence above, it is describing interview, the noun in front. But an interview can't
get stained with mustard!
Professor Jones, who was late with another essay, waited for the slacker
student.
Who was late with another essay is an adjective clause. In this sentence, it is describing
Professor Jones, the noun before it. But he's not the identified slacker! The student is!
EXERCISES ON MODIFIERS
Exercise I
Directions: In the blank beside each sentence, indicate whether that sentence
contains a dangling modifier (DM) or a misplaced modifier (MM).
1. The car on the bridge which is green is mine.

2. Expecting confusion, our plans were made.
3. Feeling hot, sweaters were taken off.
4. I showed my dog to the veterinarian with the fleas.
5. Larry told me he was getting married that afternoon at night.
6. This typewriter is used by a secretary with a wide carriage.
7. Swimming out into the sea, the current grew stronger.
8. Walking along the bridge, a ship suddenly appeared.
9. The Honda was stalled on the road out of oil.
10. He kept a note book of all the assignments he had completed in his desk.
Exercise II
Direction: Write "C" if the modifier is correctly placed. Write "MM" if it is
misplaced. Then, in the "MM" sentences, circle the modifier and draw an
arrow to show where it should go. Check the answers by using the key below.
Because rewritten sentences will vary, get them checked by your course
instructor.
1. The man was stopped for speeding in the blue sweater.

2. I almost saw the whole movie, but I fell asleep around midnight.
3. Joey promised to mow the lawn running out the door.
4. The initials were those of the lovers carved on the tree.
5. There are only two parking spaces left in the lot.
6. Every four hours the doctor told him to take a pill.
7. Sitting on the porch, I wrote my last piece of poem.
8. The woman walked toward us wearing the feather hat.
9. The jet crashed into a cliff carrying 155 passengers.
10. I hardly ate any breakfast.
Exercise III
Direction: First, underline the modifying phrase and circle the word it modifies.
Then, rewrite the sentence so that the modifying phrase is as close as
possible to the word it describes. Note: Some sentences contain two modifying
phrases. Check your answers in the back of this handout.
1. Jamil walked into only the house of horrors.

2. She almost needed one day to complete the assignment.
3. Her friend opened the door with a wicked smile.
4. We nearly waited one month for the answer to our questions.
5. My friend took me for a ride after showering and shaving on the skyway.
6. On the way to the movie, a bee stung Sharif.
7. The cat should be treated by a veterinarian that has worms.
8. The house in the Baridhara area faces the lake which Mr. Islam bought.
9. After reaching a weight of 275 pounds, the doctor insisted that Mr. Ahmed
goon a strict diet.
10. Sherina washed her hair when she finished eating with a new shampoo.

Details On Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

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Dangling Modifier

At a downtown dealership, Kara bought a truck from a salesman with a comb

Should we locate blue next to dealership? A blue downtown dealership? A blue

In a similar manner, multi-word phrases and clauses often go right next to

Churning in the Atlantic Ocean is a participle phrase. In the current sentence, it is

1. The car on the bridge which is green is mine.

1. The man was stopped for speeding in the blue sweater.

1. Jamil walked into only the house of horrors.

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