Misplaced Modifiers
Dr Shagufta Parween
Department of English
Chaitnaya Bharathi Institute of
Technology
A modifier is a word, phrase or a clause
which describes, qualifies or modifies
another element in a sentence.
It can be:
an adjective
an adverb
a phrase -She put her hand in his pocket.
We gazed at the slightly blue sky.
a clause - Police are hunting for a prisoner who
escaped from the prison.
- You are telling me a story that you have
told me before.
•A modifier can be at the beginning, in the
middle or at the end.
•It adds information
•Does not affect the grammar
Example:
This is a red ball
This is a ball
Premodifiers and Postmodifiers
Modified element - the head
A modifier placed before the head is called
a premodifier – land mines
A modifier placed after the head is called
a postmodifier – mines in wartime
A head can have both premodifiers
and postmodifiers
Example:
- that nice tall man from Canada whom you
met
Misplaced Modifiers
A misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or
clause that is improperly separated from the
word it modifies / describes.
Examples:
•The cowboy was thrown by the bull in a
leather vest.
•I only speak one language.
Types of Misplaced Modifiers
•Misplaced adjectives -
The torn student’s book lay on the desk.
•Misplaced Adverbs -
The dealer sold the car to the buyer with the
leather seats.
•Misplaced Phrases -
Shaken, not stirred, James Bond likes his martinis.
Dangling Modifiers
Misplaced Adverbs
The mis/placement of adverbs can change the
sentence's meaning.
•Just John was picked to host the program.
•John was just picked to host the program.
•John was picked just to host the program.
Misplaced Phrases
Dangling Modifiers – word or phrase which
are said to ‘dangle’ because they do not
specifically describe a word or an element in the
sentence.
•While taking a shower, the doorbell rang.
•Having read the story, the book was returned to the
library.
A dangling modifier can also appear when
you place an elliptical clause improperly.
•Although nearly finished, we left the play early because
we were worried about our sick cat.
Modifier/s should always be placed near the
word or words they modify
Else, It can…
•Change the entire meaning of the sentence
Jatin heard her when she whispered clearly.
•Lead to ambiguity or confusion
She painted her sitting on the step.
•Can be downright illogical
On her way home, Jan found a gold man's watch.
•Result in comic miscommunications
How to Correct Misplaced Modifiers
•Identify the element which is modified
•Place the modifier near it
•Ambiguity – Decide the intended meaning and
correct accordingly
•Repair Dangling Modifiers
•Avoid split infinitives
The candidate decided to formally launch her campaign.
Exercise
•They saw a fence behind the house made of
barbed wire.
•Vinay filed all his clothes in the hamper that he
had won.
•The robin built a nest at the back of our house of
grass and string.
•They said it will rain on the television.
•Prerna almost sneezed fifteen times last evening.
•Only Vimal carried his books to class.
•We ate the lunch that we had brought slowly.
•Sitting in the dentist’s chair, the sound of the drill
made Shalini sweat.
•Soaring through the sky, Brenda watched the high-
powered jet.
•She served sandwiches to the children on paper
plates.
•I only have classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
•I only have classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
•Deciding to join the navy, the recruiter
enthusiastically shook Joe’s hand.
•I threw my book in the trash with the missing pages.
•A piano fell out of the window weighing 300
pounds.
•There are many pictures of comedians who have
performed at Gavin’s on the walls.
Thank You