Placement of limiting modifiers

Limiting modifiers such as only, even, almost, nearly, and just should appear in front of a verb only if they modify the verb: At first I couldn’t even touch my toes, much less grasp them. If they limit the meaning of some other word in the sentence, they should be placed in front of that word.

Example sentence with editing. Original sentence: Lasers only destroy the target, leaving the surrounding healthy tissue intact. Revised sentence: Lasers destroy only the target, leaving the surrounding healthy tissue intact.

Only limits the meaning of the target, not destroy.

Example sentence with editing. Original sentence: The turtle only makes progress when it sticks its neck out. Revised sentence: The turtle makes progress only when it sticks its neck out.

Only limits the meaning of the when clause.

When the limiting modifier not is misplaced, the sentence usually suggests a meaning the writer did not intend.

Example sentence with editing. Original sentence: In the United States in 1860, all black southerners were not slaves. Revised sentence: In the United States in 1860, not all black southerners were slaves.

The original sentence says that no black southerners were slaves. The revision makes the writer’s real meaning clear: Some (but not all) black southerners were slaves.

Exercises:

Awkward and misplaced modifiers

Misplaced modifiers 1

Misplaced modifiers 2

Misplaced modifiers 3