ModifiersThe Good, the Misplaced,

and the Dangling

NEC FACET Center

What is a modifier?

A word or group of words that describes, limits, or qualifies the meaning of another word or phrase.

Example: Sitting under the beach umbrella, Ted saw two large sharks.

Sentence without Modifiers

Ted saw sharks.

Notice that the reader now has far less information.

Another Misplaced Modifier

The park ranger spotted a beaver peering through his binoculars.

Purpose of Modifiers

To add detail to sentences To make sentences more

interesting. To create clearer

communication when correctly used

How can modifiers cause problems?

by appearing in the wrong position

therefore, by creating an unintentionally funny or misleading sentence

Example

Ted saw two large sharks sitting under the beach umbrella.

Notice that the writer has carelessly misplaced the modifier, which now seems to describe sharks.

Another Misplaced Modifier

The park ranger spotted a beaver peering through his binoculars.

Peering through his binoculars, the park ranger spotted a beaver.

The Problem Corrected

How about this one?

Hidden inside an ice cube, Gerald found the coin.

Gerald found the coin hidden inside an ice cube.

The Problem Corrected

How about this sentence?

The man told the police that the thief had escaped on the telephone.

Definitely misplaced!

The man told the police that the thief had escaped on the telephone.

The Problem Corrected

The man on the telephone told the police that the thief had escaped. or . . .

On the telephone, the man told the police that the thief had escaped.

What other types of modifiers cause problems? Misplaced groups of words do

not cause the only modifier problems.

Misplaced individual words can create just as much trouble for the writer or reader.

Take a look at thissentence.

The only coat on sale at the new men’s clothing store was marked down 50%.

Now look at a “small” change.

The only coat on sale at the new men’s clothing store was marked down 50%.

The coat on sale at the new men’s clothing store was marked down only 50%.

One more time . . .

The only coat on sale at the new men’s clothing store was marked down 50%.

The coat on sale at the new men’s clothing store was marked down only 50%.

The coat on sale only at the new men’s clothing store was marked down 50%.

Look closely . . .

Ben needs someone to help with the yard work badly.

What does this sentence really say?

Look closely . . . Ben needs someone to help with the yard

work badly. Badly appears to modify help--to

describe the quality of that help.

The Sentence Rewritten

The Sentence Rewritten

Ben badly needs someone to help with the yard work.

Badly now clearly modifies needs.

Section Summary

Carelessly placed modifiers create problems.

Be sure to place all modifiers near the word they describe.

How else can modifiers cause problems?

Look closely at the following sentence.

Reading Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily,” the ending surprised me.

What word in the sentence does “Reading . . .” modify?

The sentence contains no such word.

Dangling Modifiers

When a modifier describes another word that does not appear in the sentence, we say the modifier is “dangling.”

The reader will probably try to “attach” it to a word in the sentence, but the result may prove confusing.

The Problem Examined

Reading Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily,” the ending surprised me.

The sentence appears to say that the ending was reading the story.

The sentence does not contain a subject to do the reading.

The Sentence Revised

When I read Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily,” the ending surprised me.

Dangling Again

While waiting for the bus, the sky turned threatening.

Who is waiting?

Dangling Again

While waiting for the bus, the sky turned threatening.

Is the sky really waiting for the bus?

The Dangling Modifier Revised

While we waited for the bus,the sky turnedthreatening.

The Dangling Modifier Revised

While we waited for the bus,the sky turnedthreatening.Yes, the sentence now contains a logical subject.

A Final Dangling Modifier

When measured, a scientist recorded three milliliters of chloroform.

According to the sentence, the scientist was measured.

The Dangling ModifierRevised

When she measured the chloroform, a scientist recorded three milliliters.

Caution to Writers

Spotting dangling modifiers in your own writing may prove difficult.

Your brain automatically supplies the missing information.

Think of Your Readers

While you know what you mean, your readers may feel confused.

Therefore . . . as you edit your

work, always ask the following two questions:

Have I used modifiers when needed?

Have I positioned them near the correct word?

If you choose your modifiers carefully and cast them in the right roles . . . the sequel to

The Good, the Misplaced, and the Dangling will be A Few Good Sentences.