26 December 2020

Typically, a dangling modifier comes in the form a phrase or clause at the beginning or end of a sentence. A Squinting Modifier is a Type of Misplaced Modifier A squinting modifier can feasibly "look" left or right. Contributors: Chris Berry, Karl Stolley Last Edited: 2013-01-07 12:05:23. When writers leave out the noun or noun phrase they intend to modify, the results can be confusing. misplaced modifier example. How to identify dangling modifier: Dangling modifiers often take the form of an introductory phrase followed by a clause that doesn’t state the intended subject. "With a red shirt" modifies "girl," not "dog." The sentence tells us that David's work ethic is meticulous and punctual, which is illogical.) Misplaced Modifier Definitions and Examples - ThoughtCo. __ 1. In other words, a modifier becomes a dangling modifier when it is associated with a word other than the one it is intended for or when it is not attached to any particular word at all. A dangling modifier occurs when the subject of a modifier is missing from the sentence. A dangling modifier is one in which the introduced word or phrase seems to be associated with the subject rather than the object, or with nothing. Identify them and fix them. To fix a dangling modifier, you often have to add more words to the sentence. Example #1: Mary’s Birthday. For example, a writer may have meant to modify the subject, but word order used means that the modifier appears to modify an object instead. "Meticulous and punctual" is modifying the head noun "ethic." for example:. Dangling Corrected; Fumbling in her purse, the keys could not be found. Learn how to correct a dangling or misplaced modifier. Example. 2. Dangling Modifier Examples. EXAMPLE: DM Working on the car, the hood fell on my hand. Here is an example from the film Hot Fuzz: "He was a hero at his last police station. The dangling modifier in the above example rather overshadow the real subject who was injured, because the introductory phrase does not describe the intended subject. 2. To please the neighbors, some fireworks were set off a day early. Misplaced Modifier-a phrase or clause that is misplaced in a sentence so that it seems to refer to something that it does not modify Example: The girl was petting the dog with a red shirt. Dangling modifier example. Modifiers are words, phrases, or clauses that add description. All these sentences have at least one dangling modifier. Fumbling in her purse, she could not find the keys. In this case, because the subject is you, the implication is that you, dear reader, rather than the contents of this post, are coming from the stated source. For example, if we knew the sentence was about a woman called Olivia arriving in New York, we could say: Stepping off the boat, Olivia thought that New York looked better than ever. The two common types of modifier errors are called misplaced modifiers and dangling modifiers. A dangling modifier is a phrase or clause that is not clearly and logically related to the word or words it modifies (i.e. DIRECTIONS: In the blank to the left of the sentence, write C if the sentence is correct and DM if the sentence contains a dangling modifier. Modifier: a word or word group that qualifies, describes, or limits the meaning of a word, phrase, or clause. Having finished the assignment, Jill turned on the TV. Better: After leaving the house, I started the car. A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that modifies a word not clearly stated in the sentence. 1. Correction: The girl with the red shirt was petting the dog. Correcting a dangling modifier usually involves identifying the thing or person modified. In clear, logical sentences, you will often find modifiers right next to—either in front of or behind—the target words they logically describe. It will be easiest for you to understand the problem of the dangling modifier if I show you some examples. In the corrected sentence, the subject, John, appears right after the comma to give meaning to it. It adds a certain silliness to the sentence and which is exactly the problem associated with it. In the example sentence above, the word group “Unaware of his bike’s flat tires” is a modifier. Example: I love strawberry kool-aid. Correct a dangling modifier in one of two ways: 1. Example: Incorrect: Hearing the good news, happiness was mine. You may need to change/rewrite the sentence to clarify who’s completing the action. Here's a better example: To get a good night's sleep, your mattress should be selected to be firm but comfortable. Another way to fix them is to rewrite the sentence to change two clauses into one clause. Now, let's try it again without the complete explanation. In “A keen observer of popular culture, Smith’s words are as pertinent as they are poetic,” Smith’s words, rather than Smith himself, are said to be a keen observer. Eagerly awaiting her birthday, Mary's presents were all picked up and admired by Mary many times throughout the day. As he was struggling with his injury, the home couldn’t be hit. dangling modifier example. You may also see dangling modifier questions presented with both the modifier and part, or all, of the main clause underlined, though this configuration is much less common. Since presents can't exhibit the emotion of feeling eager, it’s unlikely that this modifier is written correctly. (Here, the missing word is "David" because "David" is not the head noun in the phrase "David's work ethic." look at the following two examples: incorrect:, a dangling modifier occurs when we the sentence needs to include another noun or pronoun being described by the phrase to correct the dangling modifier. The swimsuit flatters over the phone? Sometimes writers use modifiers incorrectly, leading to strange and unintentionally humorous sentences. Example. In these cases, the correct answer usually rewrites the sentence to eliminate the faulty modifier entirely, so it's difficult to anticipate what the correct choice will be. Here "to get a good night's sleep" is definitely a dangling modifier, as it's not the mattress that is getting the sleep, but rather the implied subject "you". . That lead sentence, of course, contains a dangling modifier, a phrase providing additional information about a sentence’s subject that does not associate directly with the subject. Struggling with his injury, he couldn’t hit the home run. Types of Misplaced Modifiers. This resource explains what a dangling modifier is and how to correct the problem. is placed next to). A modifier describes, clarifies, or gives more detail about a concept. misplaced modifier definition. 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