Before explaining what misplaced and dangling modifiers are, you should know what a modifier is. A modifier is a word such as an adjective or adverb, a phrase or a clause. Modifiers add a description to a sentence. In a clear, logical sentence, writers aim the modifier as close as they can to the target noun. Usually, a modifier is placed right next to the word it logically describes – either in front of or behind the word. For example, in the sentence “The dog chased the red ball.”, the modifier is red. It is placed right before its target noun which is the ball. A misplaced modifier is when a modifier and its target are separated by too much distance. When a writer writes a sentence with too much distance between the modifier and the target, it results in a misplaced modifier. In many cases, a writer will place the modifier too far away from the noun it should describe. Most of the time. This can be corrected by moving the modifier to a more logical place in the sentence, usually next to the word it modifies. An example of a sentence with a misplaced modifier is “He gave a cardboard puppy to her in a box.”. This sentence contains a misplaced modifier because here, you could suppose that the puppy is made of cardboard. The corrected version of this sentence would be “He gave her a puppy in a cardboard box.”. Now, the sentence makes sense. Now, moving onto dangling modifiers. A dangling modifier is when a sentence fails to include a target noun for the modifier to modify. Fixing a dangling modifier will require more than simply rearranging the words in the sentence. Often, you will need to add something new so that the modifier has a target to describe. An example of a sentence with a dangling modifier is “Throwing violent waves, the boat struggled through the ocean.” This sentence contains a dangling modifier because you could think that the boat is throwing violent waves. The corrected version of this sentence would be ” Throwing violent waves, the ocean roared as the boat struggled through the ocean.”. Be sure not to confuse misplaced and dangling modifiers with sentence fragments. When an incomplete sentence is punctuated as a sentence, this is a sentence fragment. To fix a sentence fragment, you must join the main clause or rewrite the sentence. However, as we already said misplaced and dangling modifiers are words, phrases or clauses that are not clearly connected to the word they modify. To fix a misplaced modifier, move the modifier closer to the target noun. To fix a dangling modifier, revise the sentence to give the dangling modifier a word to modify. An example of a sentence fragment is “She is a great friend. A person whom I love and trust.”. The corrected version of this sentence is “She is a great friend, a person whom I love and trust.”. Neither a dangling modifier or a misplaced modifier can be fixed by a comma or by connecting two sentences together, therefore they are not the same thing. Overall, knowing what misplaced and dangling modifiers are and how to fix them is a very useful skill to have so that your writing is not improper.
Test questions:
1. Which sentence is correct? (Hint – One of them contains a misplaced modifier)
- A man in a mask robbed the store with a gun.
- With a gun, a man in a mask robbed the store.
2. Which sentence is correct? (Hint – One of them contains a dangling modifier)
- Cell phones should be silenced when watching a movie.
- When watching a movie, audience members should silence their phones.
3. Is this modifier misplaced or dangling?
The broken teacher’s laptop was on her desk.
4. Is this modifier misplaced or dangling?
Having finished the project, the television was turned on.
5. Is this modifier misplaced or dangling?
I handed a bagel to the well-buttered girl next to me.
Answer key:
- B
- B
- Misplaced – the correct version of the sentence would be “The teacher’s broken laptop was on her desk.”.
- Dangling – the correct version of the sentence would be “Having finished the project, Emma turned on the television.”.
- Misplaced – the correct version of this sentence would be “I handed a well-buttered bagel to the girl next to me.”.