—misplaced and dangling modifiers

A modifier 'dangles' when it modifies the wrong word. Correct this sentence: You may have to rewrite significant parts of the sentence for it to work. "Flashing lightning and thunder, the little bunny struggled through the storm," it looks like we're saying that the bunny is emitting thunder and lightning.

"Flashing lightning and thunder, the storm raged as the bunny struggled."

Dangling modifier

A dangling modifier's intended subject is missing from the sentence altogether.

Misplaced modifier:

A misplaced modifier is:too far away from the thing it's supposed to modify, and, as a result, appears to be modifying something else.

Modifier

A word, phrase, or clause that modifies—that is, gives information about—another word in the same sentence. For example, in the following sentence, the word "burger" is modified by the word "vegetarian": Example: I'm going to the Saturn Café for a vegetarian burger.

Modifiers can also be phrases or clauses:

Anna smiled when she walked past the park WHERE SHE MET HER HUSBAND. HAVING RECEIVED A PROMOTION AT WORK, he went out to buy a gallon of ice cream.

Correct the dangling modifier using Method 2: Revise the modifier phrase Taken down to the cellar, the darkness obscured the details of the room.

As he was taken down to the cellar, the darkness obscured the details of the room.

Correct the dangling modifier using Method 2: Revise the modifier phrase Having injured his dominant hand, it was difficult to write the exam.

Because John had injured his dominant hand, it was difficult to write the exam.

Correct the dangling modifier using Method 2: Revise the modifier phrase Requiring more data for the study, questionnaires were collected from an additional 200 people.

Because we required more data for the study, questionnaires were collected from an additional 200 people.

Correct the dangling modifier: FUMBLING IN HER PURSE, the keys could not be found.

Fumbling in her purse, SHE could not find the keys. As SHE fumbled in her purse, the keys could not be found. In this example, the subject who was fumbling in her purse is not stated, so it seems like the keys were doing the fumbling. A dangling modifier like this can be fixed either by rewriting the main clause in active voice, or by revising the introductory phrase.

Correct the dangling modifier using Method 1: Revise the main clause Having injured his dominant hand, IT was difficult to write the exam.

Having injured his dominant hand, JOHN had difficulty writing the exam. In the example above, the first sentence fails to clarify whose hand was injured - it does not state the subject of the introductory modifier phrase. In the corrected sentence, the subject, John, appears immediately after the modifier phrase.

Correct the dangling modifier using Method 1: Revise the main clause Hungry after two hours of hiking, my packed sandwich was quickly devoured upon reaching the peak.

Hungry after two hours of hiking, I quickly devoured my packed sandwich upon reaching the peak.

How to fix a dangling modifier: Method 1

Revise the main clause One method of fixing a dangling modifier is to leave the modifier as it is and rewrite the main clause so that it begins with the subject being modified.

How to fix a dangling modifier: Method 2:

Revise the modifier phrase Include the subject in the introductory phrase, leaving the main clause as it is.

Correct the dangling modifier using Method 1: Revise the main clause Smiling from ear to ear, the candles are blown out, and the novel concludes happily.

Smiling from ear to ear, THE HEROINE blows out the candles, and the novel concludes happily.

Correct the misplaced modifier: The waiter presented a steak to the guest THAT WAS MEDIUM RARE.

The waiter presented a medium-rare steak to the guest. OR The waiter presented a steak that was medium rare to the guest. In this example, the misplaced modifier implies that the guest was medium-rare. Moving the modifier correctly indicates that it was the steak that was medium rare.

How to fix a dangling modifier

There are two simple ways to fix a dangling modifier.

Correct the dangling modifier using Method 1: Revise the main clause To become a practicing dentist, many teeth must be cleaned, filled, and filed.

To become a practicing dentist, YOU must clean, fill, and file many teeth.

Correct the dangling modifier using Method 2: Revise the modifier phrase While driving to work, a car accident caused a traffic jam on the highway.

While Jane was driving to work, a car accident caused a traffic jam on the highway.

Correct the dangling modifier: WHILE DRIVING TO WORK, a car accident was witnessed on the highway.

While driving to work, JANE witnessed a car accident on the highway.

Modifier

a word, especially an adjective or noun used attributively, that restricts or adds to the sense of a head noun (e.g. good and family in a good family house ).

Since moving across the country, a) Einola had already gotten used to the time difference. b) the time difference was hard to get used to.

a) Einola had already gotten used to the time difference.

Stepping off the karaoke stage, a) Jack was met with a raucous round of applause b) the crowd broke into a raucous round of applause for Jack.

a) Jack was met with a raucous round of applause

Dangling modifiers often take the form of:

an introductory phrase followed by a clause that doesn't state the intended subject.

After having eaten a handful of jalapeños, a) my tongue was on fire b) I felt like my tongue was on fire.

b) I felt like my tongue was on fire.

Having tried to enjoy an ice cream cone on a hot summer day, a) Jack's hands ended up sticky and gross b) Jack ended up with sticky and gross hands

b) Jack ended up with sticky and gross hands

When he heard a joke while drinking a glass of milk, a) the milk sprayed out of his nose. b) Jorge sprayed milk out of his nose.

b) Jorge sprayed milk out of his nose.

When you create a modifying phrase that's separated from the rest of the sentence by a comma,

be sure to put the thing you want to modify immediately after.

The most common modifier mistakes are:

dangling modifiers and misplaced modifiers.

Modifiers include:

descriptive words such as adjectives and adverbs: She ALWAYS listened ATTENTIVELY in class. She decided to buy the BLUE VINTAGE Cadillac.

Scribbr

https://www.scribbr.com/language-rules/modifiers/#:~:text=The%20most%20common%20modifier%20mistakes%20are%20dangling%20modifiers%20and%20misplaced%20modifiers.&text=A%20misplaced%20modifier%20is%20too,missing%20from%20the%20sentence%20altogether.

Recognizing dangling modifiers: The subject (or doer) that is modified should immediately follow:

the comma after the modifier.