Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers

by Writing Center tutor Lisa Geren


Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers  
A modifier should be placed next to the word it describes. My little Chihuahua attacked the giant Great Dane.
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The placement of the modifier can create different possible meanings. The Great Dane just barked at my dog as he came closer. 

Meaning: My dog didn’t do anything else but bark.
  The Great Dane barked just at my dog as he came closer.

Meaning: The dog did not bark at anyone else but my dog.
  The Great Dane barked at my dog just as he came closer.

Meaning: The dog didn’t bark until my dog came closer.
Note how different placement of the word only creates a difference in meaning between these two sentences. I am only writing two papers.

I am not doing anything else but writing two papers.
  I am writing only two papers.    

I am restricting the number of papers I have to write to two, but I may be doing other things.
A misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that is improperly separated from the word it describes.  Sentences with misplaced modifiers often sound awkward, confusing, or illogical. Some frequently misplaced single words are
 almost    even    exactly    hardly    just   merely    nearly   only   scarcely    simply
 Misplaced single word The student nearly wrote 25 pages on her essay.

This sentence indicates that the student nearly wrote a 25 page paper, but didn’t.
Misplaced phrase The professor walked toward his office carrying all the graded papers.

This sentence means that the office is carrying all of the papers.
  The professor carrying all the graded papers walked toward his office.

Now, this sentence correctly indicates that the professor, who is carrying all the papers, is walking toward his office.
Misplaced clause The professor returned the essay to his student that was really messy.

This sentences means that his student was really messy.
  The professor returned the essay that was really messy to his student.

Now we know that it is the essay that is messy and not the student.
Squinting modifier

A squinting modifier is a modifier misplaced so that it may describe two situations. 		 I told my students that when we finished working on paragraphs they could take a break.

It’s unclear if I told my student when we would finish working on paragraph or when their break would be.

I told my students that they could take a break when we finished working on paragraphs.     

Now, we know when the students can take a break. 
Awkward separations

An awkward separation creates a confusing meaning.		 Most students have, by the time they graduate college, written many essays.

As written, this sentence separates the auxiliary verb from the main verb, creating an awkward gap. 

Most students have written many essays by the time they graduate college.
Dangling modifier errors

A dangling modifier is "dangling" because its placement gives it nothing to modify.
In many cases, the dangling modifier appears at the beginning of a sentence, although it can also come at the end.  Sometimes the error occurs because the sentence fails to specify anything to which the modifier can refer.  At other times the dangling modifier is placed next to the wrong noun or noun substitute:  a noun that it does not modify.		 . 
Dangling participles Brushing my dog, his fur looked really matted.

In this sentence, the modifier brushing my dog is positioned next to his fur.

The resulting meaning is that "his fur" is "brushing the dog," clearly not the intended meaning.
Dangling gerund After firing for three hours, I took out the glass out of the kiln.

In this sentence, the modifier after firing for three hours, is positioned next to I,  meaning that "I" have been "firing” for three hours."
Dangling infinitive To swim from Alcatraz to the Marina, a wet suit is needed.

In this sentence, the modifier to swim from Alcatraz to the Marina is positioned next to a wet suit.  As a result, the sentence means that "a wet suit" can swim "from Alcatraz to the Marina."
Dangling elliptical clause When ninety-two years old, Bill Cosby handed the woman her Phd.

This sentence suggests that Bill Cosby was ninety-two years old, rather than woman getting the degree.    

When the woman was ninety-two years old, Bill Cosby handed the woman the Phd.
How to repair dangling modifiers:
  1. Create a word for the modifier to describe.  Place it next to the modifier. (Sometimes you will need to invent a subject.)
  1. Rewrite the modifier (phrase) as an adverbial clause, thus eliminating the need for an immediate word to modify.
Incorrect: To swim from Alcatraz to the Marina, a wet suit is needed.

Repair: To swim from Alcatraz to the Marina, the swimmer should wear a wetsuit.

Incorrect: After firing for three hours, I took out the glass out of the kiln.

Repair: After I fired the glass for three hours, I took the glass out of the kiln.