Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers

Adapted from Real Good Grammar, Too by Mamie Hixon

Modifiers

What is a modifier?

A modifier is an expression that limits or

describes another word or phrase

Example: little boats (little describes the

boats.)
Dangling Modifiers

Dangling modifiers are words or phrases which

“dangle” because they have no word in the
sentence to describe:
While taking a shower, the doorbell rang.
The doorbell was taking a shower?
In addition to being ugly and inappropriate, the
students often make grammatical errors on their
signs.
Oops! We (probably) don’t mean to call the
students ugly and inappropriate! It is the signs
that are ugly and inappropriate.
Revise Dangling Modifiers

Revise a dangling modifier by adding a

headword – the noun or pronoun that is
being described:

While I was taking a shower, the doorbell rang.

While taking a shower, I heard the doorbell ring.

In addition to being ugly and inappropriate, the

students’ signs often contain grammatical errors.
Misplaced Modifiers
A misplaced modifier is a word or phrase placed next
to some other word or phrase that it does not intend
to modify:

There was a debate regarding the bill to provide aid to

homeless people in the senate.

Wait. There are homeless people in the senate?

Revise a misplaced modifier by moving the modifier

next to the word it is actually modifying:

There was a debate in the senate regarding the bill

to provide aid to homeless people.
How a “Only” Affects a Sentence
Only she told him that she loved him. No one else told him. He is sad.

She told only him that she loved him. She never said “I love you” to
anyone else.

She told him that only she loved him. She said no one else loved him.
She is being abusive.

She told him that she only loved him. “I love you, but I’m not in love
with you.” This sentence sounds
like a breakup line.

She told him that she loved only him. She doesn’t love anybody else.
Aw, sweet.
Squinting Modifiers
Squinting modifiers are misplaced modifiers which seem to modify
two words:

The people who worked for him sometimes gave him presents.

The people sometimes worked for him or they sometimes gave him
presents?

Revise squinting modifiers by changing the word order so there is

no ambiguity:

The people who sometimes worked for him gave him presents.

The people who worked for him gave him presents sometimes.

Sometimes, the people who worked for him gave him presents.
Infinitives

Infinitive = to + verb
An infinitive is a grammatical unit consisting
of the bare form of a verb (without an –s)
preceded by the preposition to:

to choose to explain
to dance to go
to learn to be
Split Infinitives
Split infinitives are modifiers that are placed between the
preposition “to” and the verb in the infinitive:

Dentists encourage children to regularly brush their teeth.

Try to not be late.

The modifier “regularly” is splitting the infinitive “to brush.”

Revise a split infinitive by moving the modifier to another part of

the sentence:

Dentists encourage children to brush their teeth regularly.

Try not to be late.

Exceptions

Some split infinitives are acceptable

because the modifier cannot be moved
without creating an awkward sentence:

Police are looking for a suspect who tried

to sexually assault an Army officer.

Prices are expected to more than double

next year.