From Real Good Grammar, Too

by Mamie Webb Hixon

Created by April Turner

are words or phrases which “dangle” because they have no word in the sentence to describe:

While taking a shower, the doorbell rang.

The doorbell was taking a shower?

by adding a headword—a noun or pronoun that is described:

While I was taking a shower, the doorbell rang.

OR While taking a shower, I heard the doorbell

ring.

is placed too close to some other word that it does not intend to modify:

I only speak one language.

All you ever do is speak one language?

by placing the modifier next to its headword:

I speak only one language.

are misplaced modifiers which are placed between the preposition to and the verb in an infinitive--a grammatical unit consisting of the word to plus a verb (to eat, to sleep, etc.):

Dentists encourage children to regularly brush their teeth.

The modifier regularly is splitting the infinitive to brush.

by moving the modifier to another part of the sentence:

Dentists encourage children to brush their teeth regularly.

are misplaced modifiers which seem to modify two words:

Patty who was walking quickly reached the club.

Is Patty walking quickly, or is she quickly reaching the club?

by changing the word order so there is no ambiguity:

Patty, who was quickly walking, reached the club.

OR Patty who was walking reached the club

quickly.

Having encountered this problem many times before, the flat tire was easy for me to fix. Having encountered this problem many times before, I could fix the flat tire easily.

I only have classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

I have classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays only.

In group situations, the people who participate sometimes can be annoying when they don’t know what they are doing.

…who participate can sometimes be annoying…

It is the citizens’ right to openly criticize the government without fear of being harassed. …right to criticize the government openly

without fear of being harassed.