MISPLACED MODIFIERS

Dangling Participles

Introductory participial phrases should describe the subject of the sentence.

Just like a normal adjective, participial phrases should describe the closest noun or pronoun in the sentence.

Problems with Participle Placement

So, what’s a dangling participle?

A dangling participle does not describe the subject of the sentence. For example:

DANGLING: Thrown into the air, the dog chased after the stick.

CORRECT: Thrown into the air, the stick flew away from the dog.

As the first sentence is written, it says that the dog, not the stick, was thrown into the air. Since the phrase does not describe the subject it is a dangling participial phrase.

More Examples

DANGLING: Driving home in the storm, a branch nearly fell on my car.

CORRECT: Driving home in the storm, I watched as a branch nearly fell on my car.

DANGLING: Watching the play, the actors enthralled the audience.

CORRECT: Watching the play, the audience was enthralled by the actors.

A Helpful Hint

When you use a present participle, the subject of the sentence should be doing the action described in the participial phrase.

When you write a past participle, the subject of the sentence should receive the action of the participle.

Identifying Participial Phrases

Flying from flower to flower, the bee made its way through the field.

Shown in theatres everywhere, the movie set a new box office record.

Painting a picture, the artist lost track of time.

Left home alone by his parents, Johnny stayed up later than usual.

Correcting Misplaced Modifiers

Surrounded by Secret Service, the crowd could barely see the President.

Walking along the beach, the waves crashed at my feet.

Catching the ball, the last out caused a celebration.

Dropped from the table, the chair stopped the fork from hitting the floor.