A subject that has often been discussed in English learning and English improvement circles is the topic of dangling modifiers. However, there is a fair amount of confusion as to how to use modifiers correctly. In this blog post, we look at ways to understand the modifier, to place them correctly, and to determine when a modifier is misplaced.
First, we need to understand what a modifier is and then to understand how sometimes modifiers
can dangle.
Modifiers
A modifier is a word that describes or adds information to a noun or verb. In other words, it is an adjective or adverb. However, an adjective or adverb does not always mean a word or two words. It could mean a phrase or a clause that adds information to a noun or verb.
Let us take the concept using examples:
- Using her fingernails, Rita opened the bottle.
In this sentence, if we ask the question how did Rita open the bottle, we obtain the answer “using her fingernails.” Hence “using her fingernails” is the modifier.
2. Tired from the trek, Lisa quickly went to bed.
In this sentence the first half describes Lisa’s state of mind. It tells you that she was tired from the trek. Hence, the “tired from the trek” part is the modifier.
Dangling Modifiers
Dangling modifiers are those that have been placed incorrectly in a sentence. Hence, they modify the noun or the verb they were not intended to modify in the first place.
Let us understand this particular occurrence with the help of few examples:The king arrived at the clinic where he was treated in a limousine. This sentence is a perfect example of dangling modifier. Instead of adding information about the king, the modifier “in a limousine” modifies the word “clinic” instead of “the king.” When we read the sentence, it sounds like the clinic was in a limousine. That would not have been the most preferred clinic for an ordinary citizen, leave alone the king.
- The king arrived at the clinic where he was treated in a limousine.
This sentence is a perfect example of a dangling modifier. Instead of adding information about the king, the modifier “in a limousine” modifies the word “clinic” instead of “the king.” When we read the sentence, it sounds like the clinic was in a limousine. That would not have been the most preferred clinic for an ordinary citizen, leave alone the king.
The correct version of the sentence would read: In a limousine, the king arrived at the clinic where he was treated. Here, it is obvious the king arrived in a limousine and he went to the clinic where he was treated.
Here, it is obvious the king arrived in a limousine and he went to the clinic where he was treated.
2. At the age of 3, my mother had her second child.
This is another example of misplaced or dangling modifier. In this example we can clearly see that the phrase “at the age of 3” has been misplaced.
It reads as if the author’s mother had her second child when she was only 3 years old. However, we know that this cannot be true.
Analysis of our sentence: “At the age of 3” is the modifier in our sentence; it should have described the author but because of its misplacement, it lands up describing the mother. Here if we ask the question who was 3 years old, we get the answer “the mother.”
The corrected version would read:
When I was 3 years old, my mother had her second child.
Here the phrase “3 years old” clearly describes the author which is what was intended.
How to determine if the modifier is dangling or not?
To understand whether a modifier is dangling or not, just ask the question “what/who” or “how” to the subject. If you get the answer to the adjective phrase or the adverbial phrase and if that was what you intended, then it is not dangling. However, if you get an answer that is not what you intended, then it is dangling.
Hopefully, by now you will have understood the basics of how to identify and correct dangling modifiers. To help remove dangling modifiers from your writing, contact me.