Putting Misplaced and

Dangling Modifiers

In
Their
Place
What Is A Misplaced Modifier?
• A modifier is 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, your
meaning gets really fuzzy.
 Misplaced Modifiers
• A misplaced modifier is a modifier that is
incorrectly separated from the word or words
that it describes.
• Misplaced modifiers seem to describe words
that the author did not intend them to
describe.
• When modifiers are misplaced, the reader may
misunderstand the sentence.
• Generally, the solution is to place the modifier
as close as possible to the word or words it
describes.
 Misplaced Modifiers
• Misplaced modifier:
Sam bought a used car from a local dealer with
a smoky tailpipe.

• Corrected version:
Sam bought a used car with a smoky tailpipe from
a local dealer.
 Misplaced Modifiers
• Misplaced modifier:
The robin built a nest at the back of our house of
grass and string.

• Corrected version:
The robin built a nest of grass and string at the back
of our house.
Misplaced Modifiers
• Misplaced modifier:
Christie almost sneezed fifteen times last evening.

• Corrected version:
Christie sneezed almost fifteen times last evening.
 Dangling Modifiers
• A modifier that starts a sentence must be
followed right away by the word that it
describes. Otherwise, the modifier is said to
be dangling, and the sentence takes on an
unintended meaning.
 Dangling Modifiers
• Dangling modifier:
Sitting in the dentist’s chair, the sound of
the drill made Larry sweat.

• Corrected version:
As Larry was sitting in the dentist’s chair,
the sound of the drill made him sweat.
 Dangling Modifiers
• Dangling modifier:
Sitting in the dentist’s chair, the sound of the
drill made Larry sweat.

• Corrected version:
Sitting in the dentist’s chair, Larry sweated at the sound
of the drill.
Dangling Modifiers
• Dangling modifier:
Soaring through the sky, Brenda watched the high-
powered jet.

• Corrected version:
Brenda watched the high-powered jet soaring through
the sky.
 Let’s Look At These for the Real
Meaning….
• On her way to work, Elaine saw the silver
woman’s earring laying 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.
 Watch Those Adverbs!
• Placement of adverbs (many words that end in –ly
are adverbs) can change meanings to funny things.
• 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 that don’t end in –ly to watch:
– Only, just, almost.
 What Was Stolen?
• The stolen man’s wallet was placed on the
police department’s counter.
– Was the man stolen, or was the wallet stolen?
• The man’s stolen wallet was placed on the
police department’s counter.
– Oh…. So the wallet was stolen and not the
man!
 Troublesome Words That Indicate
Number….
• Almost and nearly mean close to – nouns can be counted;
verbs cannot be counted, so these words should be next to
the noun.
• 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.
• It almost cost me $800 for my car insurance.
– Do you have any car insurance? If it almost cost you, did you
actually get the policy, or did you find a cheaper one someplace
else?
• It cost me almost $800 for my car insurance.
 Don’t Forget Merely and Only!
• Joey only gave his mother $50.00 towards the
rent.
– Joey was the only one who gave anything.
• Joey gave his mother only $50.00 toward the
rent.
– Shouldn’t Joey be helping out more?
• The same thing happens to these sentences if
we replace the word only with merely.
 “Just” is Just a Pain In the
Neck!
• Placing the word just in different places can change your
meaning completely:
– Just Evan was rushed to the hospital from the accident scene to
treat his wounds on his neck.
• Evan was the only one injured in the accident.
– Evan was just rushed to the hospital from the accident scene to
treat his wounds on his neck.
• Evan’s ambulance just got there!
– Evan was rushed to the hospital from the accident scene to treat
just his wounds on his neck.
• Evan has wounds and contusions all over, but only the ones on his neck
are really serious.
 Misplaced Prepositional Phrases
• When you place a prepositional phrase in
the wrong place, all sorts of funny things
can happen. Be careful!
• Christine made the brownies for her aunt
with chocolate icing.
– What is a woman doing running around
covered in chocolate icing?
• Christine made brownies with chocolate
icing for her aunt.
 Watch Out For Verbals!
Verbals are verbs that end in –ing or that have the word “to”
before them.
• Laila and Rachel talked about dancing in the kitchen making
grilled tuna.
– I wish my kitchen could make grilled tuna!
• Laila and Rachel, making grilled tuna, talked about dancing in
the kitchen.
– I guess Rachel Ray had Laila Ali as a guest.
• Drew and Alex drew pictures for Mom to show.
– Is Mom showing the pictures, or are they showing the pictures to
Mom?
• Drew and Alex drew pictures to show to Mom.
– That makes more sense, doesn’t it? Or is Mom a braggart?
 And Don’t Forget Those Clumsy
Clauses!
• Make sure that clauses modify (describe)
the noun you want them to modify.
• The mechanic drove out the car to Joe that
was lubricated.
– Was Joe just at the bar?
• The mechanic drove out the car that was
lubricated to Joe.
 Another Example:
• Next to the lamp, Dawn piled the books that
she turned on.
– Are these audio books? How did Dawn turn on
a book?
• Dawn piled the books next to the lamp that
she had turned on.
 Don’t Play “Monkey in the Middle!”
• When you move the phrase or clause that was a problem,
don’t plop it in between two nouns!
• The teacher said on Monday she would return our essays.
– Did the teacher tell the class on Monday, or did she promise
them for Monday?
• The teacher said she would return our essays on Monday.
• Or – On Monday, the teacher said she would return our
essays.
Source: http://www.new.towson.edu/ows/moduleDangling.com
 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.
 Examples of Dangling Modifiers
• Staring out over the ocean, the hurricane force winds
were daunting.
– The hurricane is not alive, and it is not a machine. It cannot
stare anywhere. Add a person.
• Staring out over the ocean, Matt saw the daunting
hurricane force 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.
• When I was in third grade, my mother went back to
college.
 Fixing Dangling Modifiers
• Change the main part of the sentence so it begins
with the term actually modified.
– This change will put the modifier next to the term it
modifies.
• Looking toward the west, a funnel shaped cloud
stirred up dust. (Incorrect)
• Looking toward the west, I saw a funnel shaped
cloud stir up dust. (Correct)
• Walking to the movies, the cloudburst drenched Jim.
(Incorrect)
• Walking to the movies, Jim was drenched by the
cloudburst. (Correct).
Source: http://wwwnew.towson.edu/ows/moduleDangling.htm
 Another Way to Fix Dangling
Modifiers
• Change the dangling modifier phrase to a subordinate
clause, creating a subject and verb.
– Leave the rest of the sentence as it is.
• When nine years old, my father enrolled in medical
school. (Incorrect)
• When I was nine years old, my father enrolled in
medical school. (Correct)
• Having been fixed the night before, Priscilla could
use the car. (Incorrect)
• Since the car had been fixed the night before,
Priscilla could use it. (Correct)
Source: http://wwwnew.towson.edu/ows/moduleDangling.htm