Dangling, Misplaced

and Squinting
Modifiers
Instructor: Iram Nazir
 What is a Modifier?
• A modifier adds detail or limits or changes the meaning
of another word or phrase.
Happy, Pretty, Silly, Crazy, Hopeful, Fast, Slow, Very, Much, Many
• Modifiers can be a word, phrase or clause that describes
another word or group of words in your sentence. As a
general rule, modifiers should be placed as close as
possible to the words that they’re describing.
What is a Modifier?
• Modifiers can work as both an adjective and an
adverb, describing a noun or a verb. E.g.
• The old chair broke and fell to the filthy floor.
• I gave him a record that had a lot of scratches.
• Ramona can really cook and she does it willingly.
• He runs very fast.
Misplaced Modifiers
 Definition
• 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 downright illogical.
• Some frequently misplaced single words are:
almost    even    exactly    hardly    just    merely    nearly  
  only    scarcely    simply
• A modifier that is placed too far away from
the word it describes is called a misplaced
modifier.
• EXAMPLE: I shot an elephant in my
pajamas.
• Who was wearing the pajamas: the
elephant or the shooter?
• Modifiers should be placed as close as
possible to the word or words they
describe in order to avoid confusion.
Misplaced Modifiers
Modifying phrases should be placed as close as possible to the words
they modify. Otherwise, they sometimes distort the meaning of the
sentence and add unintended humor.
Incorrect: The boy saw the red car looking out the window.
Correct: Looking out the window, the boy saw the red car.

Look at the three possibilities when the word only is placed in different
positions.
• I only saw Janet. (I did not speak to her.)
• Only I saw Janet. (No one else saw her.)
• I saw only Janet. (I saw no one else.)
• A misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that is
improperly separated from the word it modifies / describes.
Example

• Misplaced adjectives are incorrectly separated from the

nouns they modify and almost always distort the intended
meaning
• Placement of adverbs can also change meaning in sentences.
• Watch out for adverbs such as only, just, nearly, merely, and
almost.
• They are often misplaced and cause an unintended meaning
 Misplaced phrases may cause a sentence to sound awkward and may
create a meaning that does not make sense.

Misplaced clauses may cause a sentence to sound awkward and may

create a meaning that does not make sense.
 Examples
• I have only eaten one sandwich this week.
• Correct:  I have eaten only one sandwich this week.
• The car’s engine, a high-class automobile, has a great deal of horse
power. 
• Correct: The car, a high-class automobile, has a great deal of horse
power.
• Crying on the examination table, the doctor gave the small child his
vaccine.
• Correct: The doctor gave the small child crying on the examination
table his vaccine.
• Lydia fed the pigs wearing her raincoat.
• Correct: Wearing her raincoat, Lydia fed the pigs.
• Dressed in a flowing gown, everyone watched the celebrity enter
the room.
• Correct: Everyone watched the celebrity, dressed in a flowing
gown, enter the room.
• Eagerly awaiting her birthday, Mary's presents were all picked
up and admired by Mary many times throughout the course of
the day.
• Correct: Eagerly awaiting her birthday, Mary picked up and
admired her presents many times throughout the day.
• She served sandwiches to the children on paper plates.
• Correction: She served the children sandwiches on paper
plates.
• He nearly drove the car for six hours a day.
• Correction: He drove the car for nearly six hours a day.
• She saw a puppy and a kitten on the way to the store.
• Correction: On the way to the store, she saw a puppy and
a kitten.
• Only Pastor Johnson gave me $5 to clean all his
sidewalks.
• Correction: Pastor Johnson gave me only $5 to
clean all his sidewalks.
• She almost failed every exam she took.
• Correction: She failed almost every exam she
took.
• People who laugh rarely are sad.
• Correction: People who rarely laugh are sad.
Exercise1: Rewrite the following sentences, correcting the
errors in misplaced modifiers.
1. John stopped and parked the car looking at the scenery.
2. Lying on the desk, Jerry read the letter.
3. Braided in bright colors, Daniel picked up the rope.
4. The man saw the car swimming in the lake.
5. The woman reported the accident interviewing for a job
6. Singing in the treetops, I saw a bird
7. He
. enjoyed watching the cloud formation lying on the lawn.
8. My dad only gave me five dollars for the trip.
9. The speaker said that we only get twenty-five percent of the
profits.
10. Covered with cream gravy, the waitress served the potatoes.
Exercise 2: Read the sentences below and opt for the choice which
is the best revision of the sentence.

1. I saw the United Nations Building walking up the street.

a) I, when I was walking up the street, saw the United Nations Building.
b) The United Nations Building was seen by me walking up the street.
c) Walking up the street, I saw the United Nations Building.
d) I, seeing the United Nations Building, walking up the street.

2. Filled with a delicious snack, the television entertained the small child.
e) The television, filled with a delicious snack, entertained the child.
f) The child was entertained by the television filled with a delicious snack.
g) The child was filled with a delicious snack, the television entertained him.
h) The television entertained the small child filled with a delicious snack.
3. At the age of five, my mother took me to visit the animals at the zoo.
a) My mother, at the age of five, took me to visit the animals at the zoo.
b) When I was five, my mother took me to visit the animals at the zoo.
c) My mother took me to visit the animals at the age of five at the zoo.
d) When my mother was five, she took me to visit the animals at the zoo.

4. Sally bought a new coat for her husband with a pin stripe.
e) Sally bought a new coat with a pin stripe for her husband.
f) Sally, with a pin stripe, bought a new coat for her husband.
g) A new coat with a pin stripe is what Sally bought for her husband.
h) What Sally bought was a new coat for her husband with a pin stripe.
 Exercise
• I nearly made fifty dollars today. 
• When we opened the leather woman's purse, we found the missing keys. 
• The job scarcely took an hour to complete. 
• I only have five minutes to talk with you. 
• The striking Honda's paint job made everyone gasp. 
• I nearly met all of my sales goals.
• The sun in Florida was hot. 
• My husband took the newspapers to the bins that were more than a week
old.
• I saw the murderer had been captured in the evening paper.
• Falling from the top of the Empire State Building, we could
see little white pieces of paper
• We hiked through the forest wearing only light shirts and
shorts. 
• The fans stood in line to buy tickets to the show for twenty
minutes. 
• Marian read a chilling article in The New York Times about
the effects of mercury poisoning. 
• The salesman sold the picture to the short woman in
the silver frame. 
• Michelle whistled to the dog on the way to the movies. 
• My friend uses a pen to write his essays with a gold
cap. 
• The governor made some remarks
about inflation during her news conference. 
• Farmers in Ohio were spraying their crops wearing
protective masks.
Dangling Modifier
 Dangling Modifier
• A dangling modifier has no word to logically modify.
• The modifier describes a word that does not appear in
the sentence.
• It does not logically or grammatically refer to anything
in the sentence because the words it is meant to describe
are missing or too far away in the sentence.
• This kind of error makes the meaning of a sentence
absurd.
Look at these examples.
• Incorrect: Listening closely, no sound could be heard.
• Correct: Listening closely, he could hear no sound.
• Digging in the garden, an old rag doll was discovered.
• (The sentence implies that the rag doll was digging in the
dirt.)
• Solving the case, one important clue was overlooked.
• (Who solved the case . . . the clue?)
• Climbing the tree, a bird’s nest was found.
• (Did the nest climb the tree?)
 How to correct dangling modifiers?

Correction Method 1
Leave the modifier as it is. Change the main part of the sentence
so that it begins with the term actually modified. This change
will put the modifier next to the term it modifies.
Correction Method 2
Change the dangling modifier phrase to a subordinate clause,
creating a subject and verb. Leave the rest of the sentence as it is.
 Examples of Dangling Modifiers

• Slamming on the brakes, the car skidded into the guardrail.

• CORRECT: As Sherry slammed on the brakes, the car skidded into
the guardrail.
• The waiter finally served us after sitting at the table for nearly an
hour.
• CORRECT: The waiter finally served us after we had been sitting at
the table for nearly an hour.
• Sitting on the floor, the hours seemed to drag by slowly.
• CORRECT: The hours seemed to drag by slowly as we were sitting on
the floor.
• Walking down the street, the sky was a brilliant blue.
• CORRECT: Walking down the street, I noticed the sky was a
brilliant blue. OR While I was walking down the street, the sky
was a brilliant blue.
• Having arrived late for practice, a written excuse was needed.
• Having arrived late for practice, the team captain needed a
written excuse.
• INCORRECT: After reading the original study, the article remains
unconvincing.
• REVISED: After reading the original study, I find the article
unconvincing.
 Exercise Dangling Modifiers
• After playing Frisbee all evening, my English paper did not get
finished.
• Using the Pythagorean Theorem, the math problem was easily
solved.
• Working through the night, the report was finished in time for
class.
• Having finished the essay, a new Facebook status was uploaded.
• As a surgeon, the hospital was a home away from home.
• Unlike many other languages, nouns are not associated with a
gender in English. 
• Driving down the street, my toddler started crying for her teddy
bear that she left at grandmother’s home.
• Looking over the student's exam, several mistakes became evident
right away.  
• Leaving quickly, my car lights were left on.
• Carrying twenty-pound packs on our backs, the trail seemed
very difficult.
• While exercising at the gym, my shirt tore. 
Exercise1: All these sentences have at least one dangling modifier.
Identify them and fix them.
• To please the neighbors, some fireworks were set off a day early.
• Though only sixteen years old, the college accepted Martha's
application.
• Climbing up the ladder carefully, the frightened cat was brought
down from the tree.
• After a quick change into my hospital gown, the nurse told me to
relax.
• Before replacing any wall outlet, the electricity should be turned
off.
• Vegetables are an important part of your culinary repertoire. To be
cooked well, you must steam vegetables.
• As a long sturdy rod, I know the Bass master 2000 is the best
fishing pole available for fly- fishing.
• I have many fond memories of my Aunt Judy. While still a boy, my
Aunt Judy and I went to the Dallas Cup Rodeo. For something so
rustic, the event was quite exciting.
• Dentists provide many useful tips for your health. For instance,
flossing your teeth daily, gum disease can be prevented.
• The time had come to leave at last. Deciding to pack up for college,
my dog stared sadly at me as I bustled about the room.
• Inhaling the fumes from paint thinner, statistics show that
significant brain damage can occur.
• After several years of inhaling fumes from paint thinner, brain
damage is often one of the results.
• Before engaging in strenuous aerobic exercise, warm-up activities are
necessary.
• Higher education is suffering from the twin evils of bureaucracy and the
second is politics.
• Stung by wasps, bees, or other such insects, powerful toxins can bring on
allergic reactions so severe that people might die. Being aware of the danger
is the first step to preventing such a death.
• The investment firm must choose to either disclose its clients to the SEC or
to immediately return the funds to those clients.
• Before crashing his car, the defendant smoked two marijuana cigarettes,
drank sixteen ounces of bourbon, and was swallowing three Valium pills.
• Ugly, warty creatures with protruding noses and bat-like wings, architecture
students find gargoyles endlessly fascinating as expressions of the
grotesque.
• There are many pictures of comedians hanging on the walls at
Gavin's Restaurant. These images are of people who have
performed there. He is an unusual host noted for his decorations.
• When following a strict diet--one high in protein and low in
carbohydrates-- weight loss programs can make a difference in
the quality of life. Given that doctors acknowledge this fact, it is
surprising more people do not try Dr. Atkins' diet plan.
• The robber was described as a six foot-tall man with brown hair
and blue eyes and a mustache weighing 150 pounds.
• Disgusted with his own dangling modifiers, the teacher reviewed
his handouts and felt ill.
Exercise 2: In each of the following sentences, part of the sentence or the entire sentence is
underlined. Choose the answer that best expresses the meaning of the original sentence
through revision of the underlined portion.

1. Failing to get approval from his parents, depression overwhelmed the young man

a) depression overwhelmed the young man

b) depression overwhelming the young man
c) overwhelmingly depressed was the young man
d) the young man was overwhelmed by depression
e) the man, young and overwhelmed was depressed

2. Having moved often, the new surroundings did not hamper the child’s activities

f) the new surroundings did not hamper the child’s activities

g) not hampering the child's activities were the new surroundings
h) the child's activities were not hampered by the new surroundings
i) the child not being hampered by activities in the new surroundings
j) the child, unhampered by his new surroundings, continued his activities
3. To sing in the choir, music must be studied
a) music must be studied
b) one must study music
c) it is necessary to study music
d) it is a must that music be studied
e) studying music is a necessity

4. Turning his lights on dim, the car sped down the highway
f) the car sped down the highway
g) speeding down the highway
h) the man in the car sped down the highway
i) the man speeding down the highway in his car
j) speeding down the highway was the car of the man

5. To dance well, proper shoes must be worn.

k) proper shoes must be worn
l) wearing proper shoes is a must
m) you can only do it if you wear proper shoes
n) requiring the wearing of proper shoes
o) dancers must wear proper shoes
6. Coming home last night from the movies, the car had a flat tire
a) the car had a flat tire
b) a flat tire was had on the car by us
c) we had a flat tire on the car
d) having a flat tire on the car
e) the car's flat tire delayed us

7. Before reaching home, a long detour had to be taken

f) a long detour had to be taken
g) having to take a long detour
h) we had to take a long detour
i) a long detour had to be taken by us
j) taking us a long detour

8. After moving to Alabama, Harry's dream was fulfilled

k) Harry's dream was fulfilled
l) dreaming by Harry was fulfilled
m) it was the dream that was fulfilled by Harry
n) fulfilling Harry's dream
o) Harry saw his dream fulfilled
9. Running from the house, the keys on the desk were grabbed
a) the keys on the desk were grabbed
b) grabbing the keys on the desk
c) the keys were grabbed by her on the desk
d) she grabbed the keys on the desk
e) and from the desk she grabbed the keys

10. While visiting in Paris, Napoleon’s tomb was found especially interesting
f) Napoleon’s tomb was found especially interesting
g) I found Napoleon’s tomb especially interesting
h) of especial interest was Napoleon’s tomb
i) I was especially interested by Napoleon’s tomb
j) finding the tomb of Napoleon especially interesting
• https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/mechanics/dangling_modifiers_a
nd_how_to_correct_them.html
• https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/mechanics/dangling_modifiers_a
nd_how_to_correct_them.html
• https://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-dangling-modifiers.html
• https://www.chompchomp.com/terms/danglingmodifier.htm
• https://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-misplaced-modifiers.html
• https://www.niu.edu/writingtutorial/grammar/misplaced-modifiers.shtml
• https://writingexplained.org/grammar-dictionary/misplaced-modifier
• https://prezi.com/k7lzafcaaigs/dangling-and-misplaced-modifiers/
• https://prezi.com/u4eir81a-ftx/misplaced-and-dangling-modifiers/