Misplaced Modifiers
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Austin Phua Yun HockMisplaced Modifiers
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Austin Phua Yun HockENGLISH FORM 2
MISPLACED AND DANGLING MODIIERS
MISPLACED MODIFIERS
A modifier should be placed as close as possible to the word it modifies.
Misplaced modifiers generally take one of four forms:
1. Misplaced Adverbs
Example: This will only take five minutes.
Revision: This will take only five minutes.
I nearly earned a hundred dollars.
I earned nearly a hundred dollars.
2. Misplaced Phrases and Clauses
Example: He lost the chance to make large profits through the work of imitators.
Revision: Through the work of imitators, he lost the chance to make large profits.
Example: He searched around and found an old bus schedule in the drawer that was out of date.
Revision: He searched around and found in a drawer an old bus schedule that was out of date.
3. Squinting Modifiers (A word or phrase placed in a position so that it modifies either a preceding
word or the word after it)
Example: Reading a book frequently will change the whole course of a man's life.
Revision: Reading a book will frequently change the whole course of a man's life.
4. Split Infinitives (A modifier of one or more words placed between the "to" and the root verb)
Example: It was my custom to at least once a month visit my grandmother.
Revision: It was my custom to visit my grandmother at least once a month.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------DANGLING MODIFIERS
A dangling modifier is a phrase or clause that does not logically modify any word in the sentence in which it
appears.
Example: Swimming out into the lake, the water grew cold. (The only noun in the main clause is "water. The
water was not swimming.)
Revision:
a. Supply the noun or pronoun that it should modify and place the modifier next to the word.
Example: Swimming out into the lake, I felt the water grow cold.
b. Change the dangling construction into a complete clause.
Example: As I swam into the lake, the water felt cold.
Dangling modifiers usually take one of four forms:
1. Dangling Participial Phrase (An "ing" verb form)
Example: Stepping into the boat, my camera dropped into the water.
Revision: Stepping into the boat, I dropped my camera into the water. While I was stepping into the boat,
my camera dropped into the water.
Example: The mountains were snow-covered and cloudless, flying over the Rockies.
Revision: When I flew over the Rockies, the mountains were snow covered and cloudless. Flying over
the Rockies, I saw that the mountains were snow covered and cloudless.
2. Dangling Gerunds (An "ing" verb form used as a noun)
Example: After driving all day, the motel was a welcome sight.
Revision:
After driving all day, we welcomed the sight of the motel.
After we had driven all day, the motel was a welcome sight.
3. Dangling Infinitives ( "To" plus a root verb)
Example: To write effectively, practice is necessary.
Revision:
To write effectively, one must practice.
If one wishes to write effectively, practice is necessary.
4. Dangling Elliptical Clauses (A clause in which the subject or verb is understood)
Example: While combing my hair this morning, a man's face appeared at the window.
Revision:
While combing my hair this morning, I saw a man's face appear at the window.
While I was combing my hair this morning, a man's face appeared at the window.
EXERCISES: Remove all the misplaced or dangling modifier.
1. Swimming out into the lake, the water grew cold.
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2. The surgeon was able to quickly and painlessly remove the stitches from Simon's forehead.
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3. Driving through the mountains, many bears were seen.
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4. I have followed the advice faithfully given by the manual.
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5. The child who lies in nine cases out of ten is frightened.
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6. When a baby, my grandfather gave me a silver cup.
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7. She tried to carefully handle the kitten.
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8. To examine the brakes, the wheel must be removed.
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9. Before exploring the desert, our water supply was replenished.
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10. While sleeping, the covers were kicked off the bed.
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11. After barking at the moon past midnight, the Kelvin decided to complain to the dog's owners.
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12. She wore a ribbon in her hair which was a light pink.
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13. To become thoroughly familiar with the resources of a large library, years of experience are required.
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14. While lecturing on his favorite subject for the third day, students napped or wrote letters.
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15. Although nearly finished, we left the play early because we were worried about our sick cat.
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16. I heard that my roommate intended to throw a surprise party for me while I was outside her bedroom
window.
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17. After the wedding, Ian told us at his stag party that he would start behaving like a responsible adult.
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18. Raised in Nova Scotia, it is natural to miss the smell of the sea.
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19. After our conversation lessons, we could understand the Spanish spoken by our visitors from Madrid
easily.
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20. Randy has nearly annoyed every professor he has had.
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21. We almost ate all of the Thanksgiving turkey.
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22. By accident, he poked the little girl with his finger in the eye.
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23. Defining your terms clearly strengthens your argument.
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24. The marketing team voted to, before they launched the new software, run an anticipatory ad campaign.
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