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  • Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers

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    Lance Sayurin
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    This document discusses misplaced and dangling modifiers, which can cause confusion or ambiguity in sentences. A misplaced modifier is separated from the word or phrase it intends to modify, changing the intended meaning. A dangling modifier has no subject to perform the action described by the modifier. The document provides examples of misplaced and dangling modifiers and how to identify and fix them.

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    Guide for English Students

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    This document discusses misplaced and dangling modifiers, which can cause confusion or ambiguity in sentences. A misplaced modifier is separated from the word or phrase it intends to modify, changing the intended meaning. A dangling modifier has no subject to perform the action described by the modifier. The document provides examples of misplaced and dangling modifiers and how to identify and fix them.

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    333 views13 pages

    Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers

    Uploaded by

    Lance Sayurin
    This document discusses misplaced and dangling modifiers, which can cause confusion or ambiguity in sentences. A misplaced modifier is separated from the word or phrase it intends to modify, changing the intended meaning. A dangling modifier has no subject to perform the action described by the modifier. The document provides examples of misplaced and dangling modifiers and how to identify and fix them.

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    of 13

    Misplaced and Dangling

    Modifiers
    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.
    Creates confusion in meaning.
    What Is The Real Meaning.
    On her way to work, Elaine saw the silver
    womans 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 womans
    silver earring laying on the park bench.
    Now the earring is silver instead of the woman.
    What Was Stolen?
    The stolen mans wallet was placed on the
    police departments counter.
    Was the man stolen, or was the wallet stolen?
    The mans stolen wallet was placed on the
    police departments counter.
    More Misplaced Modifiers
    Squinting modifiers
    A modifier caught between two words, either of which might
    be the modified word
    Example: Little boats sailing quickly found
    tar close to shore (Did the boats sail quickly
    or quickly find tar?)

    6
    Squinting Modifier

    7
    Which one is correct?

    1. A. Having enough money, the car was bought by the


    man.
    B. Having enough money, the man bought the car.
    2. A. Jamie has placed the bracelet on her wrist which
    Bob has given her.
    B. Jaime placed the bracelet which Bob has given
    her on her wrist.
    Which one is correct?
    3. A. We heard the news about the plane crash in
    the auditorium.
    B. In the auditorium, we heard the news about
    the plane crash.
    4. A. The beautiful lady was walking the dog in a
    short skirt.
    B. The beautiful lady in a short skirt was
    walking the dog.
    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.
    Staring out over the ocean, Matt saw the daunting
    hurricane force winds.
    When in third grade, my mother went
    back to college.
    When I was in third grade, my mother went back to
    college.
    Fixing 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 it. (Incorrect)
    Since the car had been fixed the night before,
    Priscilla could use it. (Correct)
    Source: http://wwwnew.towson.edu/ows/moduleDangling.htm
    Which one is correct?

    1. A. Having finished the work, the office was closed.


    B. Having finished the work, we closed the office.
    2. A. To enter the contest, you must send your coupon with
    slogan.
    B. To enter the contest, a coupon with slogan must be
    sent.
    3. A. When one is hunting, extreme care.
    B. When one is hunting, he needs extreme care.

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