AVOIDING MISPLACED

AND DANGLING
MODIFIERS
References: http://www.towson.edu/ows/moduledangling.htm http://www.towson.edu/ows/_vti_bin/shtml.dll/moduleDanglingEx4.htm
Ansherina Glenise P. Belisario
MISPLACED MODIFIER

- is a word, phrase, or clause that is
improperly separated from the word it
describes.
Example:

On her way home, Jan found a
gold mans watch.


misplaced modifier
Corrected:

On her way home, Jan found a
mans gold watch.
correctly placed modifier
KINDS OF MISPLACED
MODIFIER
1. Misplaced Adjective

- adjectives are incorrectly
separated from the nouns they modify.
Example:
The torn students book lay on the
desk.



Corrected:
The students torn book lay on the
desk.
misplaced modifier
correctly placed modifier
2. Placement of Adverbs

Example:
We ate the lunch that we had
brought slowly.

Corrected:
We slowly ate the lunch that we
had brought.

3. Misplaced Phrases

Example:
The dealer sold the Cadillac to the
buyer with leather seats.

Corrected:
The dealer sold the Cadillac with
leather seats to the buyer.
4. Misplaced Clauses

Example:
The waiter served a dinner roll to the
woman that was well buttered.

Corrected:
The waiter served a dinner roll that
was well buttered to the woman.

DANGLING MODIFIERS
Dangling modifier

- is a phrase or clause that is not
clearly and logically related to the word or
words it modifies.
Examples:

As the senior member present, the
control panel was operated by Ms. Patton.

When nine years old, my mother
enrolled in medical school.
Two methods :

Correction Method No. 1

a) Leave the modifier as it is.
b) Change the main part of the sentence so
that it begins with the term actually
modified.
c) This change will put the modifier next to
the term it modifies.
Example:

As the senior member present, the
control panel was operated by Ms. Patton.

Corrected:

As the senior member present, Ms.
Patton operated the control panel.
Correction Method No. 2

a) Change the dangling modifier phrase to a
subordinate clause, creating a subject and a
verb.
b) Leave the rest of the sentence.
Example:
When nine years old, my mother
enrolled in medical school.

Corrected:
When I was nine years old, my
mother enrolled in medical school.