Modifiers
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debaleena duttaCommon Error:
Modifiers
Misplaced Modifiers:
Description teamed-up with wrong noun
1. Confusing: This table was made by an old carpenter with carved legs.
( the carpenter has carved legs? Or the table?)
Clear: This table with carved legs was made by an old carpenter.
2. Confusing: I gave a sandwich to the baby that was buttered.
Clear: I gave a sandwich, that was buttered, to the baby.
Correct the following sentences
a. Jane stomped on the bug without shoes on.
Solution: Without shoes on, Jane stomped on the bug.
b. Alison saw her son drive off through the window.
c. I saw him trying to copy my paper with my own eyes.
d. We returned the toy to the shop that was broken.
e. The bike was parked near the road that broke down.
Solutions
b. Through the window, Alison saw her son drive off.
c. With my own eyes, I saw him trying to copy my paper.
d. We returned the toy that was broken, to the shop.
e. The bike that broke down was parked near the road.
Squinting Modifiers
• Wrong placement of the words almost, only, just, even, hardly,
not, nearly, merely lead to confusion in meaning. This type of error
is like a squint—you are unsure which word the modifier is targeting.
a. The folk singer only sang one song.
Does is mean the folk singer was the lone person to sing?
Or,
The folk singer sang just one song (and the people wanted more)?
The folk singer sang only one song.
Squinting Modifiers
b. Taking aspirin, often helps with headaches. General treatment
Taking aspirin often, helps with headaches. Taking a lot of aspirin.
(does it mean, frequent taking of aspirin in a day, or, usually, it is seen that aspirin works in
headaches?)
Correct: Often, taking aspirin helps with headaches.
Solve
1. I only saw two dollars on the table. I saw only two dollars.
2. Taking a moment to think, clearly improves your chances.
3. Getting married, quickly changes your ways.
4. I told her this morning, I would visit.
5. Public speakers who pause briefly, refocus their audience.
Solution
[Remember, -ly adverbs come
after the verb]
1. I saw two dollars only, on the table.
2. Taking a moment to think clearly, improves your chances.
3. Getting married quickly, changes your ways.
4. I told her that I would visit this morning.
5. Public speakers who pause briefly, refocus their audience.
Dangling Modifier
A modifier that is grammatically awkward, and thereby fails to modify
any word, is called a Dangling Modifier.
Eg.: When five years old, grandma taught me to dance.
Awkward: When who was 5 years old? I? Grandma?
Correct: When I was five years old, grandma taught me to dance.
Dangling Modifiers
Note: the sentence will always start with:
When/while. Eg.: When just 5 year old, the boy’s father died.
-ing verbs. Eg: Taking a bath, I completed my assignment.
V3 verbs. Eg.: Charged of murder, the police arrested the man.
Match the Owner on both sides of
comma
1. After stealing the rings, Thanos was killed by Stark.
2. Unlike other reptiles, color changing is done by chameleon.
3. Lifting the hammer, Thor banged it on the door.
Corrections
1. After stealing the rings, Stark killed Thanos.
2. Unlike other reptiles, chameleon changes color.
Match the Owner on both sides of
comma
1. After stealing the rings, Thanos was killed by Stark.
StARK
2. Unlike other reptiles, color changing is done by chameleon.
Chamelion
3. Lifting the hammer, Thor banged it on the door.
Thor
Correct the Modifiers
1. Keeping silent, the students answered the roll call.
2. Sold all over the country, the women of Lijjat papad became
famous.
3. Talking to my friend, the cat ran away.
4. Running away, the thief snatched the lady’s bag.
Solutions
1. The students kept silent and then answered their roll call.
2. The women who sold Lijjat papad all over the country, became
famous.
3. While I was talking to my friend, the cat ran away.
4. While he was running away, the thief snatched the lady’s bag.
