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WRITING FOR SUCCESS

CONTENTS

2.7 MISPLACED AND DANGLING

MODIFIERS

Learning Objectives

1. Identify modifiers.
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 2. Learn how to correct misplaced and dangling modifiers.

A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that clarifies or describes another word,

phrase, or clause. Sometimes 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. If
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. A
writer’s goal must always be to communicate clearly and to avoid distracting
the reader with strange sentences or awkward sentence constructions. The
good news is that these errors can be easily overcome.

Misplaced Modifiers

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.

Incorrect: She wore a bicycle helmet on her head that was too large.

Correct: She wore a bicycle helmet that was too large on her head.

Notice 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’s head. The
corrected version of the sentence clarifies the writer’s meaning.

Look at the following two examples:

Incorrect: They bought a kitten for my brother they call Shadow.

Correct: They bought a kitten they call Shadow for my brother.

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 In the incorrect sentence, it seems that the brother’s name is Shadow.
That’s because the modifier is too far from the word it modifies, which is
Previous: 2.8 Writing Basics: End-of-Chapter Exercises
kitten.
Next: 2.6 Adjectives and Adverbs

Incorrect: The patient was referred to the physician with stomach

pains.

Correct: The patient with stomach pains was referred to the physician.

The incorrect sentence reads as if it is the physician who has stomach

pains! What the writer means is that the patient has stomach pains.

Tip

Simple modifiers like only, almost, just, nearly, and barely often get
used incorrectly because writers often stick them in the wrong place.

Confusing: Tyler almost found fifty cents under the sofa cushions.

Repaired: Tyler found almost fifty cents under the sofa cushions.

How do you almost find something? Either you find it or you do

not. The repaired sentence is much clearer.

Exercise 1

On a separate sheet of paper, rewrite the following sentences to correct

the misplaced modifiers.

1. The young lady was walking the dog on the telephone.

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 2. I heard that there was a robbery on the evening news.
3. Uncle Louie bought a running stroller for the baby that he called
“Speed Racer.”

4. Rolling down the mountain, the explorer stopped the boulder with
his powerful foot.

5. We are looking for a babysitter for our precious six-year-old who

doesn’t drink or smoke and owns a car.
6. The teacher served cookies to the children wrapped in aluminum
foil.

7. The mysterious woman walked toward the car holding an

umbrella.

8. We returned the wine to the waiter that was sour.

9. Charlie spotted a stray puppy driving home from work.

10. I ate nothing but a cold bowl of noodles for dinner.

Dangling Modifiers

A dangling modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that describes something that

has been left out of the sentence. When there is nothing that the word,
phrase, or clause can modify, the modifier is said to dangle.

Incorrect: Riding in the sports car, the world whizzed by rapidly.

Correct: As Jane was riding in the sports car, the world whizzed by
rapidly.

In the incorrect sentence, riding in the sports car is dangling. The reader is
left wondering who is riding in the sports car. The writer must tell the
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 reader!

Incorrect: Walking home at night, the trees looked like spooky aliens.

Correct: As Jonas was walking home at night, the trees looked like
spooky aliens.

Correct: The trees looked like spooky aliens as Jonas was walking home
at night.

In the incorrect sentence walking home at night is dangling. Who is

walking home at night? Jonas. Note that there are two different ways the
dangling modifier can be corrected.

Incorrect: To win the spelling bee, Luis and Gerard should join our team.

Correct: If we want to win the spelling bee this year, Luis and Gerard
should join our team.

In the incorrect sentence, to win the spelling bee is dangling. Who wants
to win the spelling bee? We do!

Tip

The following three steps will help you quickly spot a dangling modifier:

1. Look for an -ing modifier at the beginning of your sentence or

another modifying phrase:

Painting for three hours at night, the kitchen was finally finished
by Maggie. (Painting is the -ing modifier.)
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 2. Underline the first noun that follows it:

Painting for three hours at night, the kitchen was finally finished
by Maggie.

3. Make sure the modifier and noun go together logically. If they do

not, it is very likely you have a dangling modifier.

After identifying the dangling modifier, rewrite the sentence.

Painting for three hours at night, Maggie finally finished the

kitchen.

Exercise 2

Rewrite the following the sentences onto your own sheet of paper to
correct the dangling modifiers.

1. Bent over backward, the posture was very challenging.

2. Making discoveries about new creatures, this is an interesting

time to be a biologist.

3. Walking in the dark, the picture fell o! the wall.

4. Playing a guitar in the bedroom, the cat was seen under the bed.

5. Packing for a trip, a cockroach scurried down the hallway.

6. While looking in the mirror, the towel swayed in the breeze.

7. While driving to the veterinarian’s o"ce, the dog nervously

whined.

8. The priceless painting drew large crowds when walking into the
museum.

9. Piled up next to the bookshelf, I chose a romance novel.

10. Chewing furiously, the gum fell out of my mouth.

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 Exercise 3

Rewrite the following paragraph correcting all the misplaced and

dangling modifiers.

I bought a fresh loaf of bread for my sandwich shopping in the grocery store.
Wanting to make a delicious sandwich, the mayonnaise was thickly spread. Placing
the cold cuts on the bread, the lettuce was placed on top. I cut the sandwich in half
with a knife turning on the radio. Biting into the sandwich, my favorite song blared
loudly in my ears. Humming and chewing, my sandwich went down smoothly.
Smiling, my sandwich will be made again, but next time I will add cheese.

Collaboration

Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.

Key Takeaways

Misplaced and dangling modifiers make sentences di"cult to

understand.

Misplaced and dangling modifiers distract the reader.

There are several e!ective ways to identify and correct misplaced

and dangling modifiers.

Writing Application

See how creative and humorous you can get by writing ten sentences
with misplaced and dangling modifiers. This is a deceptively simple
task, but rise to the challenge. Your writing will be stronger for it.
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 Exchange papers with a classmate, and rewrite your classmate’s
sentences to correct any misplaced modifiers.

LICENSE SHARE THIS BOOK

Writing for Success by University

of Minnesota Libraries Publishing
is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-
NonCommercial 4.0 International
License, except where otherwise
noted.

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