Misplaced or dangling modifier

A dangerous and foolhardy activity, Tommy also insisted on head bumping the Great White sharks that he encountered.

A dangerous and foolhardy activity, an appositive, currently describes Tommy, not the head bumping. When a modifier is next to a word it doesn't logically describe, it is misplaced. Well done! To fix the problem, you should organize the sentence like this: Tommy also liked to participate in dangerous and foolhardy activities, such as head bumping the Great White sharks that he encountered.

What is a dangling modifier?

A dangling modifier is a phrase or clause that is not clearly and logically related to the word or words it modifies (i.e. is placed next to). Two notes about dangling modifiers: Unlike a misplaced modifier, a dangling modifier cannot be corrected by simply moving it to a different place in a sentence. In most cases, the dangling modifier appears at the beginning of the sentence, although it can also come at the end.

What is a misplaced modifier?

A misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that is improperly separated from the word it modifies / describes. Because of the separation, sentences with this error often sound awkward, ridiculous, or confusing. Example: On her way home, Jana found a gold man's watch. (It sounds like it is a gold man)

After thoughtlessly scrambling endangered sea turtle eggs for breakfast, an apology had to be made not only to Marina but also to the grieving reptile mother.

After thoughtlessly scrambling endangered sea turtle eggs for breakfast is a participle phrase which should describe Tommy. Notice, however, that Tommy is nowhere to be found in the sentence! When a modifier has no word in the sentence to describe, it is dangling. Nice work! To fix the problem, you could revise the sentence like this: After thoughtlessly scrambling endangered sea turtle eggs for breakfast, Tommy had to apologize not only to Marina but also to the grieving reptile mother.

Assessing his set as clumsy and inelegant, not a single compliment was received from the judges.

Assessing his set as clumsy and inelegant, a participle phrase, should describe the judges, but its distance and awkward passive voice phrasing make this modifier unclear and misplaced. Nice work! To fix the problem, you should revise the sentence like this: Assessing his set as clumsy and inelegant, the judges did not give Tommy a single compliment.

Putting straws up his nose and barking like a walrus did not make Tommy popular when he had dinner with Neptune, Marina's father.

Correct Answer

After Tommy bemoaned his ineptitude on a surfboard, Marina made a proposal: She would turn him into a merman with the grace and athleticism of a dolphin!

Correct Sentence

One day out on a swim, Tommy drank a root beer and tossed the empty plastic bottle in the water.

Correct Sentence

Polluting the ocean so carelessly was the last clam shell for Marina.

Correct Sentence

Tommy explained that he had lost the surfing championship, which included a scholarship to college.

Correct Sentence

While swimming the mile back to shore as a regular human being, Tommy regretted the gift that he had squandered.

Correct Sentence

With an angry snap of her fingers, she replaced Tommy's tail with two human legs.

Correct Sentence

Dangling his legs over the water, Tommy sat on the pier and cried.

Correct Sentence. (It was Tommy who dangled his legs over the water.)

Infused with his great sadness, the tears hit the waves and attracted Marina, a beautiful mermaid.

Correct Sentence. (the tears are what was infused with his great sadness.)

Diving into the waves, the tail propelled Tommy through the strong surf.

Diving into the waves, a participle phrase, currently describes the tail, not Tommy. But the tail didn't dive into the water without the rest of Tommy attached to it! When a modifier is next to a word it doesn't logically describe, it is misplaced. Nice work! To fix the problem, you should revise the sentence like this: After Tommy dived into the waves, his tail propelled him through the strong surf. Now we're clear that the whole Tommy dived into the water!

Ecstatic about his new abilities, the training and advice Marina offered went unheeded.

Ecstatic about his new abilities, a phrase, describes Tommy. Notice, however, that Tommy isn't in the sentence! When a modifier has no word in the sentence to describe, it is dangling. Good job! To fix the problem, you could rewrite the sentence like this: Ecstatic about his new abilities, Tommy refused to heed the training and advice that Marina offered.

Saying a curt goodbye, Marina's tail slapped the surface dismissively as she dove into the ocean depths.

In its current position, saying a curt goodbye, a participle phrase, is describing Marina's tail, not the whole mermaid! When a modifier is next to a word it doesn't logically describe, it is misplaced. Nice work! To fix the problem, you should rewrite the sentence like thiterm-25s: Saying a curt goodbye, Marina dove into the ocean depths, her tail slapping the surface dismissively.

Placement of adverbs can also change meaning in sentences. For example, the sentences on the other side of this card illustrate how the placement of just can change the sentence's meaning.

Just John was picked to host the program. (Just means only John was picked, no one else.) John was just picked to host the program. (Just means that John was picked now.) John was picked to host just the program. (Just means that John hosted only the program, nothing else)

Example #1 of a dangling modifier:

Looking toward the west, a funnel shaped cloud stirred up dust. This sentence does not specify who is looking toward the west. In fact, there is nothing at all in the sentence to which the modifying phrase looking toward the west can logically refer. Since the modifier, looking toward the west, is sitting next to the funnel shaped cloud, the sentence suggests that the cloud is doing the looking.

Popping out of the ocean as sleek as a seal, Tommy gasped at the sight.

Misplaced Modifier, (It was the mermaid from sentence 2 who popped out of the ocean, not Tommy.)

While Marina's tail flopped against the wood, which was long, scaly, and metallic blue, she asked poor Tommy the reason for his pain.

Misplaced Modifier. The wood is not long and scaly. A way to fix this sentence would be: Marina asked poor Tommy the reason for his pain while her long, scaly, metallic blue tail flopped against the wood.

How would you fix the example sentence? On her way home, Jana found a gold man's watch. (It sounds like it is a gold man)

On her way home, Jana found a man's gold watch. (now it is the watch is gold.)

Refusing to use conditioner, for example, the sun and salt water soon damaged Tommy's hair, which became dry and brittle.

Refusing to use conditioner, a participle phrase, describes Tommy. Notice, however, that Tommy isn't in the sentence! His hair is here, but the boy himself is not! When a modifier has no word in the sentence to describe, it is dangling. Good job! To fix the problem, you could rewrite the sentence like this: Because Tommy refused to use conditioner, for example, the sun and salt water soon damaged his hair, which became dry and brittle.

Sinking under the waves, Tommy's legs finally kicked him to the surface where he gulped a much needed breath of air.

Sinking under the waves, a participle phrase, is describing Tommy's legs, as if they had detached from his body! This phrase should be describing the whole Tommy. When a modifier is next to a word it doesn't logically describe, it is misplaced. Well done! To fix the problem, you should revise the sentence like this: Sinking under the waves, Tommy finally kicked himself to the surface where he gulped a much needed breath of air.

Example #2 of a dangling modifier:

When 9 years old, my mother enrolled in medical school. This sentence means that my mother enrolled in medical when she was nine years old!

Wielding ancient ocean secrets with a snap of her fingers, a metallic green tail replaced Tommy's legs!

Wielding ancient ocean secrets with a snap of her fingers, a participle phrase, describes Marina. Notice, however, that Marina isn't in the sentence! When a modifier has no word in the sentence to describe, it is dangling. Well done! To fix the problem, you could rewrite the sentence like this: Wielding ancient ocean secrets with a snap of her fingers, Marina replaced Tommy's legs with a metallic green tail.