{"id":231,"date":"2020-02-25T23:16:24","date_gmt":"2020-02-26T04:16:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/advancedenglish\/chapter\/2-7-misplaced-and-dangling-modifiers\/"},"modified":"2021-08-12T14:10:25","modified_gmt":"2021-08-12T18:10:25","slug":"misplaced-and-dangling-modifiers","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/advancedenglish\/chapter\/misplaced-and-dangling-modifiers\/","title":{"raw":"Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers","rendered":"Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers"},"content":{"raw":"A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that adds to the meaning of, changes, clarifies, or describes another word, phrase, or clause.\r\n\r\nSometimes writers use modifiers incorrectly, leading to strange and unintentionally humorous sentences. The two common types of modifier errors are called misplaced modifiers and dangling modifiers. Another type of modifier error is called squinting error; this means that the writer \"squints\" at their sentence, trying to force a modifier error to work. Don't squint!\r\n\r\nIf either of these errors occurs, readers can no longer read smoothly. Instead, they become stumped trying to figure out what the writer meant to say. Here, a reader may \"squint\" as well to figure out what the writer is saying. A writer\u2019s goal must always be to communicate clearly and to avoid distracting the reader with strange sentences or awkward sentence constructions.\r\n

Misplaced Modifiers<\/h2>\r\n
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A misplaced modifier is a modifier that is placed too far from the word or words it modifies. Misplaced modifiers make the sentence awkward and sometimes unintentionally humorous.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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Incorrect:<\/strong> She wore a bicycle helmet on her head that was too large<\/em>.<\/p>\r\n

Correct:<\/strong> She wore a bicycle helmet that was too large<\/em> on her head.<\/p>\r\nNotice in the incorrect sentence it sounds as if her head was too large! Of course, the writer is referring to the helmet, not to the person\u2019s head. The corrected version of the sentence clarifies the writer\u2019s meaning.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

Look at the following two examples:<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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Incorrect:<\/strong> They bought a kitten for my brother they call Shadow<\/em>.<\/p>\r\n

Correct:<\/strong> They bought a kitten they call Shadow<\/em> for my brother.<\/p>\r\nIn the incorrect sentence, it seems that the brother\u2019s name is Shadow<\/em>. That\u2019s because the modifier is too far from the word it modifies, which is kitten<\/em>.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

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Incorrect:<\/strong> The patient was referred to the physician with stomach pains<\/em>.<\/p>\r\n

Correct:<\/strong> The patient with stomach pains<\/em> was referred to the physician.<\/p>\r\nThe incorrect sentence reads as if it is the physician who has stomach pains! What the writer means is that the patient has stomach pains.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

\r\n\r\nTip: Simple modifiers like only<\/em>, almost<\/em>, just<\/em>, nearly<\/em>, and barely<\/em> often get used incorrectly because writers often stick them in the wrong place.\r\n

Confusing:<\/strong> Tyler almost<\/em> found fifty cents under the sofa cushions.<\/p>\r\n

Repaired:<\/strong> Tyler found almost<\/em> fifty cents under the sofa cushions.<\/p>\r\n\r\n