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Fixing Misplaced Modifier Errors

The document discusses dangling and misplaced modifiers, which occur when a modifier is placed too far from the word it modifies, causing confusion. It provides examples of dangling modifiers and their corrections. Misplaced modifier errors are also explained, along with tips for placing modifiers like "often" close to the words they modify to avoid ambiguity. Sentence exercises are included for practice identifying and correcting such errors.

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17 views3 pages

Fixing Misplaced Modifier Errors

The document discusses dangling and misplaced modifiers, which occur when a modifier is placed too far from the word it modifies, causing confusion. It provides examples of dangling modifiers and their corrections. Misplaced modifier errors are also explained, along with tips for placing modifiers like "often" close to the words they modify to avoid ambiguity. Sentence exercises are included for practice identifying and correcting such errors.

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Writing Center MUK 113 Phone 425-640-1750 Email: tutoring@edcc.

edu

Finding and Fixing Dangling or Misplaced Modifier Errors

What’s a Dangling or Misplaced Modifier Error?


Modifiers are words or a series of words that describe other words: something, someone, or an
action. Modifiers should be placed close to what they describe or modify to avoid confusing
readers about what is being modified.

Simple Modifier + Noun = A large truck.

Complex Modifier: Careening down the hill, the driver tried to stop the large truck.

A Dangling or Misplaced Modifier Error occurs when a modifier or series of modifiers are:
1. Placed too far away from the noun being described, which causes confusion about who or
what is being modified, or
2. There is nothing in the sentence that can actually be modified.

Example of a Dangling Modifier Error: Walking to school today, a house burst into flames.
{This sentence suggests that the house was walking to school today, but was it possible for the
house to be walking to school today? Clearly not! Someone who was walking to school saw the
house burst into flames, but no person is mentioned in the sentence. Therefore, this modifier is
called dangling because there is actually nothing in this sentence that it can modify.}

Correction: Walking to school today, I saw a house burst into flames.


{We made the subject of the sentence the doer of the action in the modifier. Who was walking? I
was walking, so adding the subject I and the verb saw corrects this sentence.}

TIPBOX: Beginning a sentence with an introductory phrase can often lead to a dangling
modifier error. You can fix this error by placing modifiers closer to the nouns they modify.

Misplaced Modifier Error: I saw a house on fire walking to school today.


{Walking to school modifies I, but its placement suggests that it modifies the house instead. In
other words, it sounds as if the house on fire was walking to school. Therefore, this modifier is
misplaced.}

Correction: While walking to school today, I saw a house on fire.

Misplaced Modifier Error: My instructor told me yesterday I missed a quiz.


{The modifier yesterday could be modifying the verb told in order to indicate when the instructor
conveyed the information, or yesterday could be modifying missed to indicate when the speaker
missed the exam.}

Correction Option 1: Yesterday, my instructor told me I missed a quiz.


Correction Option 1: My instructor told me I missed a quiz yesterday.
Misplaced Modifier Error: People who exercise often can increase their energy levels.
{The confusion is caused by two possible meanings: Do the people work out often or do they
often have more energy if they work out? Does often modify exercise or increase. }

Correction Option1: People who often exercise can increase their energy level.
{This clearly shows that often modifies the verb exercise instead of the verb increase.}

Correction Option1: People who exercise can often increase their energy level.
{This clearly shows that often modifies increase instead of exercise.}

TIPBOX: Pay special attention to where you place modifiers such as:

Often, simply, hardly, barely, almost, only, nearly, merely, frequently.

These modifiers should be placed next to the words they modify in order to
avoid confusion. Consider the difference between saying:

She often told me she loved me. OR She told me she often loved me.
The exam took almost three hours OR The exam almost took three hours.
I went to college for nearly 8 years OR I nearly went to college or 8 years.
I eat chocolate cream only OR I only eat chocolate ice cream.

Sentence Practice: Please identify and correct the modifier errors below:

1. While driving to the stadium , mass transit seemed like a better option.

2. People who have to drive in rush traffic frequently like to talk on their cell phones.

3. Learning to drive, my car always overheated in traffic jams.

4. It almost took an hour to cool down enough to restart each time.

5. I was nearly late to math class every day, and it showed in my low grades.

6. Approaching the airport, my long trip was over.

7. Flying for nine hours, my legs were stiff and sore.

For more practice and to test your knowledge, go to:

Capital Community College Guide to Grammar and Writing


[Link]

The Online Writing Lab at Purdue University


[Link]

Common questions

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The placement of adverbs affects sentence meaning significantly by changing which word or action is emphasized. For instance, 'I only eat chocolate ice cream' implies exclusivity of the action, that eating is the exclusive activity, whereas 'I eat only chocolate ice cream' implies exclusivity of the item, that chocolate is the exclusive type of ice cream eaten. Correct placement ensures the intended message is accurately conveyed .

Clarity can be improved by rearranging misplaced modifiers so they are directly next to the words they modify, thereby eliminating potential confusion. For example, 'My instructor told me yesterday I missed a quiz' can be improved by either 'Yesterday, my instructor told me I missed a quiz' or 'My instructor told me I missed a quiz yesterday', depending on whether 'yesterday' is intended to modify 'told' or 'missed' .

Modifiers in multi-word expressions can create ambiguity as they may modify unintended words or actions. It is crucial that such modifiers are placed directly next to the specific words they are meant to modify. For example, 'People who exercise often can increase their energy level' properly indicates that 'often' modifies 'exercise', whereas placing 'often' after 'can' would imply frequent energy increase rather than frequent exercise .

Beginning sentences with introductory phrases often leads to dangling modifier errors because they can leave the reader unsure of the subject performing the action. These errors can be corrected by ensuring the introductory phrase clearly modifies the subject that follows. For example, 'While driving to the stadium, mass transit seemed like a better option' can be corrected to 'While I was driving to the stadium, mass transit seemed like a better option', clarifying who was driving .

Misuse of modifiers can lead to temporal misinterpretation by implying incorrect timing of actions or events. For instance, 'I was nearly late to math class every day, and it showed in my low grades' might suggest that being late and grades are directly linked, whereas correctly placed, the sentence can indicate frequency instead of causation, such as 'Being nearly late every day affected my grades', clarifying the intended sequence of events .

Placing modifiers such as 'almost,' 'only,' and 'nearly' close to the intended words is crucial to avoid ambiguity. For instance, 'The exam took almost three hours' implies the exam duration was just under three hours, while 'The exam almost took three hours' suggests something different, potentially implying the exam could have taken three hours under different circumstances. Precise placement ensures clarity in meaning .

To correct dangling modifiers, the subject performing the action should be clearly included. For example, 'Walking to school today, a house burst into flames' can be corrected to 'Walking to school today, I saw a house burst into flames' by making 'I' the subject who is walking .

The placement of the modifier 'often' can significantly alter the meaning of the sentence: 'People who often exercise can increase their energy level' implies that the frequency of exercises is often, whereas 'People who exercise can often increase their energy level' suggests that the outcome of increased energy levels happens frequently, regardless of the exercise frequency .

Failing to address dangling modifiers in sentences can significantly hinder comprehension by creating ambiguity about the subject performing the action. This can result in misinterpretation of the sentence's meaning. For example, 'Approaching the airport, my long trip was over' wrongly implies the trip was actively approaching the airport. Correcting this to 'As I was approaching the airport, my long trip was over' clarifies the action and subject relationship .

Misplaced modifiers in habitual expressions can confuse the reader about what is habitual—the action itself or its consequences. For instance, 'People who have to drive in rush traffic frequently like to talk on their cell phones' can be confusing as 'frequently' might seem to modify either 'drive' or 'like'. Correcting it to 'People who frequently have to drive in rush traffic like to talk on their cell phones' clarifies that the driving in traffic is frequent .

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