Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

Chapter Opener

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are your descriptions clear?

Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

In general, modifiers need to be close and obviously connected to the words they modify. When they aren’t, readers may become confused — or amused.

Position modifiers close to the words they modify.

MISPLACED Layered like a wedding cake, Mrs. DeLeon unveiled her model for the parade float.

Mrs. DeLeon is not layered like a wedding cake; the model for the parade float is.

REVISED Mrs. DeLeon unveiled her model for the parade float, which was layered like a wedding cake.

Place adverbs such as only, almost, especially, and even carefully If these modifiers are placed improperly, their purpose can be vague or ambiguous.

VAGUE The speaker almost angered everyone in the room.
CLEARER The speaker angered almost everyone in the room.
AMBIGUOUS Joan only drove a pickup.
CLEARER Only Joan drove a pickup.
CLEARER Joan drove only a pickup.

Don’t allow a modifier to dangle.A modifying word or phrase at the beginning of a sentence should usually be followed by a subject to which it connects clearly. When it doesn’t, the modifier is said to dangle, especially when there is no other word in the sentence it can logically describe.

DANGLING Arriving at sunset, the Grand Canyon was awash in golden light.

Nothing in the sentence is actually modified by the opening phrase. Revision is necessary.

REVISED Arriving at sunset, we beheld the Grand Canyon awash in golden light.

Don’t, however, confuse dangling modifiers with absolutes, which are phrases that can, in fact, modify entire sentences without connecting to particular words or subjects. Here are some examples:

All things considered, the vacation was a success.

To be honest, our hotel room at the park left much to be desired.