Dangling Modifiers Can Be Dangerous

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Dangling Modifiers Can Be Dangerous
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Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers

• A GRAMMAR TUTORIAL
• BY NANCY SCHROCK

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Topics for Todays Discussion

• Definition of a modifier
• Types of modifiers
• Examples of misplaced and dangling modifiers
• Correcting the problem
• Exercises and a confession
• Conclusions

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Modifier

• What is a modifier?
• An expression that limits or describes another
  word or phrase
• Words, phrases, or subordinate clauses
• Example Little boats (little describes boats)

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Types of Modifiers

• Adjectives - modify nouns or pronouns
• Little boats stay close to shore.
• Adverbs - modify verbs, adjectives or other
  adverbs
• Little boats sail slowly. (adverb)
• Participial phrases - function as adjectives and
  are participles (verbs ending in -ing) plus other
  words
• Having no GPS, our boat stays close to shore.
• Prepositional phrases - function as adjectives or
  adverbs, preposition noun or noun equivalent
• With only one sail, our boat stays close to
  shore.
• Infinitive phrases- as modifiers can function as
  adjectives or adverbs
• To avoid risk, we sail our boat close to shore.
• Subordinate clauses - as modifiers they contain a
  subject verb but function as adjectives or
  adverbs
• Little boats that stay close to shore avoid
  taking risks.

Not usually a problem
Can be problematic
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Misplaced or Dangling Modifiers

• Misplaced modifiers are not near the word they
  modify
• Example If you stay close to the shore for
  little boats, the risk of sinking is reduced.
  (For little boats is close to shore and seems to
  be modifying shore.)
• Improved If you stay close to the shore, the
  risk of sinking for little boats is reduced.
• Dangling modifier is one where the word modified
  is not explicit
• Example By staying close to shore, the risk of
  sinking is reduced. (The word modified, boat, is
  not in the sentence.)
• Improved By staying close to shore, little
  boats reduce the risk of sinking.
• Delayed subject -- it or there is nearest the
  modifier but is not the word modified
• Example By staying close to shore, it is
  possible for little boats to reduce the risk of
  sinking. (It delays the appearance of the
  subject, boats, and reduces the clarity of the
  meaning.)
• Improved By staying close to shore, little
  boats reduce the risk of sinking.

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More Misplaced Modifiers

• Squinting modifiers
• A modifier caught between two words, either of
  which might be the modified word
• Example Little boats sailing quickly found tar
  close to shore (Did the boats sail quickly or
  quickly find tar?)
• Improved When the little boats sailed near to
  shore, they quickly found tar.
• Split infinitives (to verb)
• A modifier placed between to and the verb
• Example to carefully stay close to shore.
• Improved to stay carefully close to shore.

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Squinting Modifier
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How to Correct Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

• The modifier should be positioned to give the
  correct meaning - usually near the word modified
• Make the word modified obvious and not hidden or
  ambiguous
• Dont split infinitives
• Recognize that modifiers can be misplaced or
  dangling and consult a guide when in doubt

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Correcting Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
Continued

• Most misplaced modifiers can be corrected by
  moving them to the beginning of the sentence or
  closer to the word modified. Dangling modifiers
  are often phrases already at the start of the
  sentence and followed by a comma. They should
  modify the subject of the sentence which follows
  the comma.
• Dangling modifiers can be corrected by adding a
  word which the phrase can modify or by changing
  the phrase to a clause.
• For example, Hit into the outfield, the boy
  caught the ball. (Incorrect)
• Change to the following The boy caught the
  ball, which was hit into the outfield.

Towns, Esther. Don't Let Your Modifier Dangle,
Columnist Warns. The Star Press, Muncie, Ind.
1998. lthttp//jdwritingctr.iweb
.bsu.edu/workshop/Towns/Dangling.Modifiers.htmgt
22 October 2010.
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Exercises

• BP was sure by August the oil would be stopped.
  (squinting modifier -- Was BP sure by August or
  would the oil be stopped by August?)
• BP was sure the oil would be stopped by August.
• Remembering that one can tell a cracked vessel by
  its sound, Tony Hayward stated to the press that
  he wanted his life back. (dangling modifier --
  It was not Tony who remembered this expression.)
• Remembering that one can tell a cracked vessel by
  its sound, I watched Tony Hayward state to the
  press that he wanted his life back.

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Exercises

• Throwing pearls to swine, it was clear BP
  executives would not take the scientists advice.
  (delayed subject)
• Throwing pearls to swine, the scientists gave BP
  executives advice that they would not take.
• At the risk of being insensitive, he will get
  another date with me when hell freezes over.
  (misplaced modifier -- The speaker or writer is
  the one at risk of being insensitive.)
• At the risk of being insensitive, I told him I
  would date him again when hell freezes over.

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Exercises and Confession

• In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne had to
  publicly wear the red letter A to mark her as
  an adulterer. (split infinitive)
• In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne had to wear
  publicly the red letter A to mark her as an
  adulterer.
• When her performance did not improve, Penny
  worked with Kelly Services to have the contractor
  replaced. (It was not Pennys performance that
  was a problem.)
• When the contractors performance did not
  improve, Penny worked with Kelly Services to have
  the contractor replaced. (added whose
  performance to the subordinate clause)

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Conclusion

• Ensure clarity of meaning with modifiers
• Locate the modifier near the word modified
• Make the word modified obvious and not ambiguous
• Seek assistance from references when in doubt!
• References
• From the Writing Lab website http//uwf.edu/writ
  elab/advice/documents/wa-onjobgram8.htm
• A Writers Reference, Diana Hacker
• The Random House Handbook