1. Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

2. What is a modifier? A word or group of words that modifies (describes, gives more information about) another word or group of words.

3. There are different types of modifiers: Adjectives  Describe nouns or pronouns Adverbs  Describe verbs Modifier phrases  Describes an actor (adjective phrase)  Describes an action (adverb phrase)

4. Let’s look at some examples: Adjective:  The red house stood in the distance. Adverb:  He ran quickly. Adjective phrase:  The Turners moved into a house near the school. Adverb phrase:  As quickly as possibly, we washed the dishes.

5. What is a misplaced modifier? A word or group of words whose placement suggests that it modifies one word or phrase when it is intended to modify another.

6. Examples of misplaced modifiers: More beautiful than any human being, the explorer noticed the mermaid. Wild and untamed, Jack entered the jungle. Moaning in haunted voices, the house contained many ghosts.

7. So, how do we fix a misplaced modifier? Revise the sentence! Put modifiers in a position that clearly identifies the word it describes, while not interrupting the sentence.

8. Example: Incorrect:  More beautiful than any human being, the explorer noticed the mermaid. Correct:  The explorer noticed the mermaid, which was more beautiful than any human.

9. Example: Incorrect:  Wild and untamed, Jack entered the jungle. Correct:  Jack entered the wild and untamed jungle.

10. Example: Incorrect:  Moaning in haunted voices, the house contained many ghosts. Correct:  The house contained many ghosts that moaned in haunted voices.

11. What is a dangling modifier? A word or group of words that does not logically describe any other word or group of words in the sentence.

12. Examples: Using a variety of techniques, the students were taught grammar. To improve his essay, each page was proofread. While reading the novel, the pages that contain important information should be marked.

13. So, how can we fix a dangling modifier? Revise the sentence! Add a word or group of words that the modifier can logically modify.

14. Example: Incorrect:  Using a variety of techniques, the students were taught grammar. Correct:  Using a variety of techniques, the teacher taught the students grammar.

15. Example: Incorrect:  To improve his essay, each page was proofread. Correct:  To improve his essay, David proofread each page.

16. Example: Incorrect:  While reading the novel, the pages that contain important information should be marked. Correct:  While reading the novel, you should mark the pages that contain important information.