Avoiding Sentence Problems

Recognizing dangling modifiers

Dangling modifiers are usually word groups (such as verbal phrases) that suggest but do not name an actor. When a sentence opens with such a modifier, readers expect the subject of the next clause to name the actor. If it doesn’t, the modifier dangles.

Example sentence with editing. Original sentence: Opening the window to let out a huge bumblebee, the car accidentally swerved into an oncoming car. Revised sentence: When the driver opened the window to let out a huge bumblebee, the car accidentally swerved into an oncoming car.

The car didn’t open the window; the driver did.

Example sentence with editing. Original sentence: After completing seminary training, women's access to the priesthood has often been denied. Revised sentence: After completing seminary training, women have often been denied access to the priesthood.

The women (not their access to the priesthood) complete the training.

The following sentences illustrate four common kinds of dangling modifiers.

Heading: Dangling participial phrase. Example sentence: Biking along the narrow path, the wind swept a huge branch onto the ground.

The wind didn’t bike along the path—the writer did.

Heading: Dangling preposition plus gerund phrase. Example sentence: Upon entering the doctor's office, a skeleton caught my attention.

The skeleton didn’t enter the doctor’s office—the writer did.

Heading: Dangling infinitive phrase. Example sentence: To perform well in the marathon, a spaghetti dinner was served the night before.

Whoever wanted to perform well should be the subject, not spaghetti dinner.

Heading: Dangling elliptical clause (with understood subject and verb). Example sentence: Though too small for the roller-coaster, the attendant let Jenny sneak in.

Jenny, not the attendant, was too small.

Although most readers will understand the writer’s intended meaning in such sentences, the inadvertent humor can be distracting, and it can make the writer appear somewhat foolish.

Checking for dangling modifiers

Exercises:

Dangling modifiers 1

Dangling modifiers 2

Dangling modifiers 3

Dangling modifiers 4