Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

and how to fix them

What is a modifier?One or more words that describe

another word or word group.

Ex: My cousin has a cat with all white fur.

The modifier “with all white fur” describes “cat.”

The woman behind the cash register is the owner of the

store.

What does “behind the cash register” modify?

It modifiers “woman.”

The woman behind the cash register is the owner of the store.

I have nearly a thousand baseball cards.

What does nearly modify?

It modifies “a thousand.”

I have nearly a thousand baseball cards.

The robin built a nest of grass and string at the

back of our house.

What does “of grass and string” modify?

It modifies “nest.”

The robin built a nest of grass and string at the back of our house.

Misplaced Modifiers

What is wrong with this sentence?

The man bought a tie at the department store with yellow and blue stripes.

The man bought a tie at the department store with yellow and

blue stripes.

Problem: it seems like “with yellow and blue stripes” is modifying department store.

The man bought a tie at the department store with yellow and blue

stripes.

• This is a misplaced modifier. • “with yellow and blue stripes” SHOULD modify

tie.• How can you fix this sentence?

The Fix:The man bought a tie with yellow and blue stripes at the department store.

How to fix a misplaced modifier:

Place the modifier as close as possible to the word or words it describes.

Dangling Modifiers

What is it?

•A dangling modifier has no word in the sentence to describe. •Dangling Modifiers usually

being a sentence.

What is wrong with this sentence?

Biting my lip, not laughing was difficult.

Biting my lip, not laughing was difficult.

• “Biting my lip” is a dangling modifier.• “Biting my lip” has nothing to

modify.• How can you fix this sentence?

The Fix:

Biting my lip, I found it difficult not to laugh.

orI bit my lip and found it difficult not to laugh.

Here is a dangling modifier example:

Sitting in the dentist’s chair, the sound of the drill awakened Larry’s old fears.

Problem: it sounds like “the sound of the drill” is actually sitting in the chair.

Method 1 for fixing Dangling Modifiers:

Follow the dangling modifier with the word or words it is meant to modify.

Sitting in the dentist’s chair, Larry found that the sound of the drill awakened his old fears.

Method 2 for fixing Dangling Modifiers:

Add a subject and a verb to the opening word group

As Larry was sitting in the dentist’s chair, the sound of the drill awakened his old fears.