What do you

think modify
means?
 Official Definition

•In language, it means…

– A word or group of words that add
description to a sentence.
Examples:
– Stacy drives a small car with giant
tires.
– Jeff bought a green car with blue rims.
– The storm came up suddenly.
 Types of Modifiers

• Adjectives- words that modify

nouns.
– Small car, smelly shoes, bored
students

• Adverbs- words that modify verbs.

– To walk slowly, to write messy
–(Easy way to remember: Add-a-
VERB)
 What is a dangling modifier?

A modifier should clearly and sensibly describe

another word or word group.

Look at this sentence:

?
Rowing on the lake, strange bugs were seen.
Modifier

Who or what is rowing on the lake?

Bugs?
 What is a dangling modifier?

A dangling modifier is a modifier that doesn’t

clearly and sensibly modify another word or word
group.
? ?
Hurrying,
Dressed inthe
warm
ski lift
clothing,
stopped,the
andcold
thewas
boysnogot
problem.
on.

ski lift
Was the cold hurrying?
dressed in warm
clothing?
 What is a dangling modifier?

Dangling modifiers often occur at the

beginning of a sentence. When a sentence
begins with a participial phrase, use these
steps to see if the phrase is dangling.

Step 1: Look at the word or word group right

after the comma.

Participial phrase
Making the bed, my cat
cat crawled
crawled
under the covers.
 What is a dangling modifier?

Step 2: Ask, “Does it make sense

for the phrase to modify the word
after the comma?”

Dangling
Participial modifier
phrase ?
Making the bed, my cat crawled under the covers.
Was the cat making the bed?
No, it doesn’t make sense for the participial phrase to modify cat.

If the modifying phrase doesn’t sensibly modify

the word or word group after the comma, you
probably have a dangling modifier.
 What is a dangling modifier?

Dangling modifiers can occur in other places in a

sentence as well.

Dangling modifier
My head immediately hit the pillow, exhausted.
Was the pillow exhausted? No.

Dangling modifier
The smells, approaching the bakery, were inviting.

Did the smells approach the bakery? No.

 What is a dangling modifier?

On Your Own
Identify the word or word group that appears to be
modified by the underlined phrase. Then, determine
whether the underlined phrase is a dangling modifier. Write
D for a dangling modifier or C if the modifier is not
dangling.
___ 1. Riding our bikes in the mountains, the scenery was
great.
___ 2. Maya’s phone rang returning home.
___ 3. Checking the shelves, Judy found all the books she
needed.
___ 4. Filled with daisies, the two girls strolled through the
field. [End of Section]
 How to fix dangling modifiers
Participial phrases

When you find a participial phrase that is a

dangling modifier, fix the sentence by making the
meaning logical and clear.

Strategy 1: Revise the word group that follows

the dangling participial phrase.

Dangling modifier ?
Cleaning the attic, we found
an old anwas
trunk oldfound.
trunk.

Now modifier
Was the trunk cleaning
cleaning thethe attic logically and clearly modifies the
attic?
subject we.
No. A logical subject—such as we—needs to follow the comma.
 How to fix dangling modifiers
Participial phrases

Strategy 2: Change the dangling participial

phrase into a clause.

Dangling modifier
While we were
Cleaning cleaning
the attic, thetrunk
an old attic,was
an old trunk was found.
found.

Changing the dangling modifier into a

clause makes the meaning clear. The
clause modifies was found. It tells when
the trunk was found.
 Review A

Identify the dangling modifier in each sentence.

1. Reaching the top of the mountain, the view of the city

was amazing.
2. The stillness, entering the museum, made us
uncomfortable.
3. Discovered under a bush in the backyard, we took in the
kitten and cared for it.
4. Caring for a puppy, patience is needed.
5. Discouraged, no more races were run by him for a while.

[End of Section]
 Review B

Revise each sentence to correct the dangling modifier.

1. Using the vacuum cleaner frequently, the carpets stayed
clean.
2. His helmet, wanting to be safe, was worn at all times.
3. Awakened by the garbage truck, it was hard to get back
to sleep.
4. Stored in the basement, I put the old books to good use.

5. The perfect quilt was found searching on the Internet.

[End of Section]
The End