Direct link to iS-tea-ak . You can either keep the modifier the way it is and rewrite the main clause of the sentence, or you can keep the main clause the way it is and rewrite the modifier. simple process. Dangling modifier - Unbeaten, the regular season championship was over. All rights reserved. - [Voiceover] Running around Instead, the modifier is incorrectly attached to a different person or thing. This is a deceptively simple task, but rise to the challenge. A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that clarifies or describes another word, phrase, or clause. It tracks your skill level as you tackle progressively more difficult questions. Here "happy" has nothing to modify, becoming a dangling modifier. A modifier describes or qualifies another part of a sentence. Copyright 1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. For the chalkboard example from above, you could just add a pronoun: "While she was waiting for class to start, the chalkboard caught her attention." B. "Having finished" states an action but does not name the doer of that action. Dangling modifiers change the meaning of the sentence in an unintended way. People usually Make sure the modifier and noun go together logically. Writing for Success by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted. switched around the order of Albert and his pet. We are looking for a babysitter for our precious six-year-old who doesnt drink or smoke and owns a car. The priceless painting drew large crowds when walking into the museum. Example Having injured his dominant hand, it was difficult to write the exam. Fragments. You can cite our article (APA Style) or take a deep dive into the articles below. Dangling Modifier: Dangling means hanging or unattached. detection. into your text with just a few clicks. Rewrite the following paragraph correcting all the misplaced and dangling modifiers. Here, the subject is candy and the modifier is dressed up in various costumes.. - [Voiceover] Hello She seems logically to be the one doing the action ("having finished"), and this sentence therefore does not have a dangling modifier. Lets re-arrange the sentence so the adverb appears next to the word that the writer intends to modify: When you call the apartment manager, firmly tell him that you wont pay any more rent until he fixes your toilet.. Its important to learn how to identify and fix dangling modifiers if you want your writing to be clear and effective. Just keep your modifiers as close as possible to the thing modified and make sure they refer to something that's explicitly in the sentence. Read more about dangling modifiers, and then test your ability with our quiz. - [Voiceover] Rosie out. A. Most cases of dangling modifiers can be fixed by identifying the subject you want to modify, making sure its present, and placing the modifier immediately before or after it in the sentence: Walking into the room, they encountered an overpowering smell., The following sentence makes no sense: While walking along the shore, the clumps of seaweed tripped me and I fell. It sounds as though there are piles of seaweed roaming the beaches and purposely tripping people. Usually, dangling modifiers can be found in the beginning, but for confused students, they can appear anywhere in the sentence. Rewrite the main clause: An easy way to fix a dangling modifier is to rewrite the main clause and leave the modifier as it is. Because we've got lightning So now we have the critter Observe the following sentence: To improve his score, the test was taken again. It isnt clear who wanted better test scores. When there is nothing that the word, phrase, or clause can modify, the modifier is said to dangle. Instead, the modifier is incorrectly attached to a different person or thing. A modifying word or phrase dangles when it doesnt apply to the word its supposed to modify. It still gets across the same idea, but we had to put the All you have to do is just to copy and paste the piece of (2022, October 20). One method of fixing a dangling modifier is to leave the modifier as it is and rewrite the main clause so that it begins with the subject being modified. Usually, dangling modifiers can be found in the beginning, but for confused students, they can appear anywhere in the sentence. Who had an air of nonchalance? Another example is a comma rule that is confused by many, even by professionals and writers. You can rewrite the sentence any way you can, as long as the modifier is next to what it modifies. Yes, it can. How to make our grammar checker work? (2016). Happy writing! Direct link to Lexi C. 's post Hmvery true. I bought a fresh loaf of bread for my sandwich shopping in the grocery store. Writing that sentence in that order, you dont actually need the semicolon. Who had an air of nonchalance? To revise, combine the phrase and the main clause into one sentence. Privacy Policy. Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers | Exercise 1 | Grammar Bytes! Here, the pepperoni pizza is the subject of the sentence, and chewing slowly is a dangling modifier. The following three steps will help you quickly spot a dangling modifier: Look for an -ing modifier at the beginning of your sentence or another modifying phrase: Painting for three hours at night, the kitchen was finally finished by Maggie. In English sentences, the doer must be the subject of the main clause that follows. What is a dangling modifier? Hmvery true. In the corrected sentence, the subject, John, appears immediately after the modifier phrase. Fortunately, correcting them is a simple matter, and the result is writing thats more concise and easier to read. The fact that our grammar check is completely free to use for all of your grammar needs makes it a very attractive option. Correct: The patient with stomach pains was referred to the physician. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. the leftover pizza. Then, the sentence makes sense: While walking along the shore, I tripped on some clumps of seaweed and fell., Put the modifier close to the word or phrase it modifies, Turn two clauses into one cohesive sentence, Observe the following sentence: To improve his score, the test was taken again. It isnt clear who wanted better test scores. A dangling modifier occurs when the subject the modifier is supposed to describe is not the subject of the sentence. A dangling modifier occurs when the subject of a modifier is missing from the sentence. 5 not attempted Select the one which is NOT a misplaced modifier: A. You can learn anything. 3. Otherwise, they dangle. There are two ways to do it. Misplaced or dangling modifier; A misplaced modifier that is a phrase or clause that is modifying the incorrect noun or pronoun. To revise, decide who actually arrived late. Both terms refer to modifiers that are connected to the wrong thing in a sentence. without saying that without good grammar, clear communication is nearly Notice that horrified precedes - [Voiceover] So, the Now its clear that the trick-or-treaters are the ones dressed up in various costumes. Polish your grammar with Microsoft Editor Test your writing with Editor's free grammar checker. Printer Fabulous! (with Examples in Sentences), Transitions: A Complete Guide (with 100+ Examples), Verbs: Types of Verbs, Definition and Examples. The phrase "having arrived at the store" should modify the person who arrived at the store. Last Edited: 2013-01-07 12:05:23. Chapter 13: APA and MLA Documentation and Formatting, Chapter 14: Creating Presentations: Sharing Your Ideas, Next: 2.8 Writing Basics: End-of-Chapter Exercises, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Piled up next to the bookshelf, I chose a romance novel. rewrite this sentence. He improved his results by doing the experiment again. impossible. - [Voiceover] Hi Paige. Its fairly common and plagues even the best of writers. 1. this lifesaver if you don`t want to damage your reputation. ? The first is due to the modifying word or phrase being placed too far from the word or group of words it's meant to modify. - [Voiceover] Right? A dangling modifier like this can be fixed either by rewriting the main clause in active voice, or by revising the introductory phrase. eggs. 2. If you look carefully, you do not find anyone in the sentence capable Incorrect: Riding in the sports car, the world whizzed by rapidly. "Having finished" states an action but does not name the doer of that action. - [Voiceover] So this is all better, the modifier, flashing Like the bunny, with lightning. makes it a very attractive option. - [Voiceover] Hello grammarians, hello Rosie. This is an example of how dangling modifiers can result in nonsensical sentences. So youve written a sentence with a dangling modifier. To fix dangling modifiers, you just have to add someone and that in the case of this example: While I was running for the cab, a cat jumped onto my foot. Without considering the schedules of all the people involved, the party was canceled. | Examples & How to Eliminate, Because John had injured his dominant hand, a car accident caused a traffic jam on the highway, Because we required more data for the study, questionnaires were collected from an additional 200 people, the darkness obscured the details of the room. For more general help, check out our article on misplaced modifiers, too. Being born six feet tall, Derrick wondered how baby giraffes learn to walk so quickly. On a separate sheet of paper, rewrite the following sentences to correct the misplaced modifiers. So a lot of times a modifier is describing something else in the sentence. You can rewr, Posted 8 months ago. Incorrect: The patient was referred to the physician with stomach pains. Amy Luo. Amy Luo. min. Change the phrase that dangles into a complete introductory clause by naming the doer of the action in that clause: Who didn't know his name? modifying the wrong noun. To revise, decide who was trying to introduce him. A modifier is meant to describe a word or make its meaning more specific. Covered in mustard and relish, I enjoyed the hot dog.. So, you want to learn about grammar and one of the best ways to do that is constant practice and a little help from a grammar checking free online, a tool letting you spot your mistakes without any hassles. It contains the participle covered, and it's modifying the wrong word.. As the sentence is written, covered in mustard and relish is modifying I, but that doesn't make much sense! A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that modifies a word not clearly stated in the sentence. (laughing) May I ask The answer to the example no.2 can it be Running around on his little hamster wheel , his pet exercise while Albert watched . be coming right after that, that modifier. Passive voice is when the main verb is some form of to be, such as was or am. Not every sentence in passive voice has a dangling modifier, but its sometimes a risky case. Can it be like this ? Aside from KITT of the old Knight Rider television show or Disneys Herbie The Lovebug, cars dont have emotions. Either order is acceptable here, as "was" is a helping verb that's considered part of the modifier. Sometimes writers use modifiers incorrectly, leading to strange and unintentionally humorous sentences. While looking in the mirror, the towel swayed in the breeze. What is more, The revision might look something like this: INCORRECT: After reading the original study, the article remains unconvincing. So, before we get in to what a dangling modifier is, we can sort of talk about just what a modifier is. Exchange papers with a classmate, and rewrite your classmates sentences to correct any misplaced modifiers. It goes I guess that it really depends on the rest of the sentence. to be describing. This resource explains what a dangling modifier is and how to correct the problem. This website collects and publishes the ideas of individuals who have contributed those ideas in their capacities as faculty-mentored student scholars. Incorrect: She wore a bicycle helmet on her head that was too large. Furthermore, using our website is a very simple process. Neither A writers goal must always be to communicate clearly and to avoid distracting the reader with strange sentences or awkward sentence constructions. Rosie, do want to tell us what the definition of a modifier is? And flashing lightning and You can keep shrugging shyly if you revise the main sentence to contain the proper subject: Here are some more examples of dangling modifiers that are fixed by rewriting the main clause: The second method of fixing a dangling modifier is to rewrite the modifier so that it includes the subject within it. on his little hamster wheel, the critter exercised Learn how to correct misplaced and dangling modifiers. has a dangling modifier, and the modifier in question is, flashing lightning and thunder. comma, like all of these are, that's when you have to pay attention, and make sure that the noun or phrase coming right after the modifier is matched up with the modifier, so that it's describing the right thing. - [Voiceover] Right, okay. Here are some examples of dangling modifiers written with passive voice: Need help identifying your passive voice sentences? Combine the phrase and main clause into one: Who wanted to improve results? On the sentence "Running around on his little hamster wheel, the critter exercised while Albert watched." So we have a good clue that Lets look at some examples of dangling modifiers. Name the appropriate or logical doer of the action as the subject of the main clause: Who arrived late? Fowlers dictionary of modern English usage(4th ed.). Published on Direct link to marcy's post What if the modifier is a, Posted 4 years ago. This revised sentence makes it clear that its the toddler doing the kicking and screaming. The first is due to the modifying word or phrase being placed too far from the word or group of words its meant to modify. What Is a Dangling Modifier? A dangling modifier occurs when the intended subject of the modifier is missing from the sentence, and instead another subject appears in its place. Dangling modifiers often occur when the modifier is the introductory phrase of the sentence. He shot a terrorist with a Kalashnikov. When a sentence does not clearly state the subject being modified, the introductory phrase becomes a dangling modifier. Now its clear that the author is the person writing the historical fiction novel. is this modifier actually supposed to be modifying? Its a grammatical error where the modifying word or phrase is attached to the wrong subject or where the subject is missing in a sentence. We need to add the subject here. The modifier thus dangles because it has nothing Oxford University Press. 2023 All Rights Reserved ManyWriters.com. Aside from KITT of the old, The following sentence makes no sense: While walking along the shore, the clumps of seaweed tripped me and I fell. It sounds as though there are piles of seaweed roaming the beaches and purposely tripping people. In dangling modifier the item which is modified is not attached to the modifier and is left hanging. while Albert watched. nor rack has emotions! Direct link to Swiftcloud's post Couldn't you just say, _T, Posted 7 months ago. Modifiers are words, phrases, or clauses that add description. Simple adjectives precede. One thing to remember here is to use it when making a pause. Thankfully, it's a simple fix: Since we arrived late, we missed the beginning of the movie. a participle phrase. The good news is that these errors can be easily overcome. Direct link to David Alexander's post Yes, that would be a perf, Posted 3 years ago. Oxford University Press. If you're behind a web filter, please make sure that the domains *.kastatic.org and *.kasandbox.org are unblocked. A dangling modifier is a common grammatical mistake in which a modifier appears in a sentence, but the subject being modified isn't there. Because a car accident appears where the subject should be, the sentence now suggests that a car accident was driving to work. Thats an interesting thought experiment, but it doesnt really make sense. - [Voiceover] Right (2016). Huh? Uncle Louie bought a running stroller for the baby that he called Speed Racer.. In everything over for you, highlight all the areas that need improvement, and that that noun or phrase comes right after the modifier. Since it is no longer a modifier, it doesn't have to describe a subject, and it is no longer dangling. The most common kind of dangling modifier is a dangling participle, as at the beginning of this column. Oh hi , i got this random question all of sudden i dunno where to put it but im asking here , it about affixes . from https://www.scribbr.com/sentence-structure/dangling-modifier/. A dangling modifier is a grammatical error that occurs when a modifier ending in -ing is placed next to a noun or pronoun that it does not modify. "Excited" is an adjective modifying girl, "quickly" is an adverb modifying ran, and "yellow" is an adjective modifying house. in the sentence to describe. Will it be correct if I say, "The little bunny struggled through the flashing lightning and thunder; as the storm raged."? writing you would like to check into the text box. Exercise 1 Recognizing Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers Directions: In the exercise that follows, you will need to determine whether or not sentences contain misplaced or dangling modifiers. In this example, the misplaced modifier implies thatthe guest was medium rare. Repaired: Tyler found almost fifty cents under the sofa cushions. In both of these cases, I is the subject of this sentence, so the modifier is no longer dangling. Check your writing for passive voice now with a free ProWritingAid account. Charlie spotted a stray puppy driving home from work. Revised on 1.4 Introduction to Writing: End-of-Chapter Exercises, 2.8 Writing Basics: End-of-Chapter Exercises, 3.9 Punctuation: End-of-Chapter Exercises, 4.7 Working with Words: End-of-Chapter Exercises, 5.3 Count and Noncount Nouns and Articles, 5.9 Help for English Language Learners: End-of-Chapter Exercises, 6.2 Effective Means for Writing a Paragraph, 6.3 Writing Paragraphs: End-of-Chapter Exercises, 7.4 Refining Your Writing: End-of-Chapter Exercises, 8.5 The Writing Process: End-of-Chapter Exercises, 9.1 Developing a Strong, Clear Thesis Statement, 9.4 Writing Introductory and Concluding Paragraphs, 9.5 Writing Essays: End-of-Chapter Exercises, 10.10 Rhetorical Modes: End-of-Chapter Exercises, 11.2 Steps in Developing a Research Proposal, 11.4 Strategies for Gathering Reliable Information, 11.5 Critical Thinking and Research Applications, 11.6 Writing from Research: End-of-Chapter Exercises, 12.1 Creating a Rough Draft for a Research Paper, 12.2 Developing a Final Draft of a Research Paper, 12.3 Writing a Research Paper: End-of-Chapter Exercises, 13.4 Using Modern Language Association (MLA) Style, 13.5 APA and MLA Documentation and Formatting: End-of-Chapter Exercises, 14.2 Incorporating Effective Visuals into a Presentation, 14.4 Creating Presentations: End-of-Chapter Exercises. How about you? Mom, its target, just as the hamster or the pet, because it says Albert This way, the sentence will begin with the subject being modified. You have been successfully subscribed to the Grammarly blog. What the writer means is that the patient has stomach pains. So it can be an adjective or like a, Adverbs can go before or after the thing they are modifying. Is this tenants toilet coming loose, or does he need to be firm with the apartment manager about getting it fixed? One way to correct a dangling modifier is to change a modifying phrase into a subordinate clause. You can get some crazy meanings out of your sentences otherwise. that our program can correct for you: The fact Garner, B. Rummaging in her giant handbag is - [Voiceover] Rosie what were covered in cat hair immediately follows Direct link to AidynW's post It kinda feels like cause, Posted 4 years ago. Modifiers include descriptive words such as adjectives and adverbs: Modifiers can also be phrases or clauses: The most common modifier mistakes are dangling modifiers and misplaced modifiers. always bear in mind that almost everybody, including native speakers, is prone Here's the corrected version: Since Matt didn't want to be rude, it was difficult for him to leave early. What Is a Dangling Modifier? Often this error is a result of a main clause written in the passive voice. and There's nothing in the sentence capable of "considering" anything. The first method of fixing a dangling modifier is to keep the same modifier, but change the main sentence so that it has the right subject. As he was struggling with his injury, the home couldn't be hit. I don't think I've ever seen a bunny with like, lightning coming Dangling modifiers change the meaning of the sentence in an unintended way. so that doesn't happen. A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that describes, defines, or qualifies something else in a sentence. With a sigh of disappointment is For clarity's sake, though, you might put the title of the book in Italics. A dangling modifier, or "dangler," consists of descriptive words or phrases that either have nothing to describe or describe the wrong term. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice. A dangling modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that describes something that has been left out of the sentence. Purdue OWL is a registered trademark. Our A dangling modifier occurs when the subject of a modifier is missing from the sentence. This sentence says that "it" didn't know his name. Simple modifiers like only, almost, just, nearly, and barely often get used incorrectly because writers often stick them in the wrong place. Instead, it's a complete dependent clause that explains why Matt did not want to leave early. There are several effective ways to identify and correct misplaced and dangling modifiers. We returned the wine to the waiter that was sour. out of 100. Fixing a dangling modifier will require more than rearranging the words profession. - [Voiceover] So he shouldn't In this article, we will deal with one particular modifier error: the dangling modifier. The following sentence has an incorrect usage: "Having finished" is a participle expressing action, but the doer is not the TV set (the subject of the main clause): TV sets don't finish assignments. We still have running around There are two simple ways to fix a dangling modifier. ProWritingAid highlights passive verbs and sentences in your document, so all you have to do is check for the dangling modifier. Oxford University Press. The modifier in this sentence is thirsty. Cookies are used on this website to improve your user experience, Biggest Grammar Fails in History (Yeah, Someone Shouldve Checked Things Twise), Best Grammar Exercises That Can Turn You Into That Annoying Person Who Always Corrects You, Essential Grammar Rules Everyone Should Know (Yeah, Including You, You Lazy Creature), The Ever Growing List of Misspelled Words People Still Cant Get Right, Hilarious Grammar Mistakes That Probably Ruined Somebodys Life. Adjectives like "happy" go before the thing they are modifying or after, with a helping verb. Painting for three hours at night, Maggie finally finished the kitchen. Sentence units. Humming and chewing, my sandwich went down smoothly. to have a dangling modifier like this so we need to fix this sentence. Dangling modifiers often occur in sentences that use passive voice, because passive voice turns the object into the subject. | Exercise 1 | grammar Bytes concise and easier to read really make sense now its clear that word... Sandwich shopping in the sentence driving to work easily overcome, as at the beginning of sentence!, Posted 3 years ago store '' should modify the person writing the historical fiction novel modifiers written passive! We need to be firm with the apartment manager about getting it fixed ] around! Put the title of the old Knight Rider television show or Disneys Herbie the Lovebug, cars dont emotions. On the sentence a comma rule that is modifying the incorrect noun or pronoun goes! That clarifies or describes another word, phrase, or clause that describes, defines, or that... Example is a helping verb that 's considered part of the sentence dangling modifier calculator nothing... The patient has stomach pains was referred to the physician feet tall, Derrick wondered how baby giraffes to. That explains why Matt did not want to damage your reputation 4 years.! Have emotions common and plagues even the best of writers that has been left out of grammar. Flashing lightning and thunder our a dangling modifier the item which is not the subject should,! Make sense you might put the title of the sentence, and is! Phrase that modifies a word not clearly stated in the grocery store was... Purdue University for my sandwich went down smoothly, defines, or qualifies else. Covered in mustard and relish, I is the subject being modified, sentence... Or logical doer of that action or thing: a like the bunny, with a sigh of disappointment for! `` Running around there are piles of seaweed roaming the beaches and purposely tripping people simple. And main clause in active voice, because passive voice turns the object into the articles below English! As at the beginning of the sentence doer must be the subject of sentence! Patient was referred to the physician grammar check is completely free to it... Phrase and main clause that describes something that has been left out your. The priceless painting drew large crowds when walking into the museum was difficult to write the exam the toddler the! Dont have emotions and to avoid distracting the reader with strange sentences or awkward constructions! Following sentences to correct the problem so the modifier phrase a stray puppy driving from... A perf, Posted 3 years ago separate sheet of paper, rewrite the sentence 's nothing in beginning... Grammar needs makes it a very attractive option state the subject of this.... Too large always be to communicate clearly and to avoid distracting the with. More about dangling modifiers doer must be the subject being modified, the modifier, and the modifier is to! Sentence any way you can get some crazy meanings out of your sentences otherwise remember here is to it. Comma rule that is confused by many, even by professionals and writers, Maggie finished! In dangling modifier - Unbeaten, the pepperoni pizza is the subject of the sentence do is check the. Fix: Since we arrived late, we can sort of talk about just what a modifier! Phrase or clause can modify, the sentence an adjective or like a, Adverbs can before... Your grammar needs makes it clear that the author is the subject of the sentence any way you,! Or logical doer of that action check into the articles below to revise, combine the and... His name add description improve results `` considering '' anything revision might look like. Its fairly common and plagues even the best of writers found in sentence. To Swiftcloud 's post what if the modifier phrase rise to the challenge filter! Don ` t want to damage your reputation tall, Derrick wondered how baby giraffes to... Introductory phrase becomes a dangling modifier ; a misplaced modifier: a, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, clause. Under the sofa cushions Posted 4 years ago cases, I chose a romance novel why Matt did not to. Incorrect: after reading the original study, the subject of a modifier meant.: She wore a bicycle helmet on her head that was sour modifier the item is... The towel swayed in the beginning, but for confused students, they can appear anywhere in sentence! Getting it fixed separate sheet of paper, rewrite the dangling modifier calculator sentences correct..., cars dont have emotions appears where the subject, and the modifier and noun go together.. The reader with strange sentences or awkward sentence constructions charlie spotted a stray puppy driving from! Did n't know his name successfully subscribed to the word, dangling modifier calculator, or clause was sour the was. _T, Posted 4 years ago around the order of Albert and his pet sentence any way can. Charlie spotted a stray puppy driving home from work are looking for a for! Page, you dont actually need the semicolon about just what a modifier is next to a. 'S a simple fix: Since we arrived late, we can sort of talk about just what a modifier! Is for clarity 's sake, though, you must include the entire legal notice 4 years ago must the. The result is writing thats more concise and easier to read kicking and screaming before the thing they are.. The corrected sentence, the pepperoni pizza is the person writing the fiction. Of your grammar with Microsoft Editor test your writing for passive voice now with dangling... How dangling modifiers often occur when the subject of the action as the subject of the main in! And *.kasandbox.org are unblocked romance novel introduce him introduce him when the main clause in active voice, passive. Is completely free to dangling modifier calculator it when making a pause kicking and screaming quickly! Almost fifty cents under the sofa cushions, becoming a dangling participle, as at store... Beginning of this sentence modifier the item which is not the subject a! His injury, the introductory phrase becomes a dangling participle, as long as the modifier is missing from sentence! Roaming the beaches and purposely tripping people and noun go together logically watched. anywhere the! Misplaced or dangling modifier is some form of to be firm with the apartment about! Easily overcome lifesaver if you 're behind a web filter, please make sure that the is... That add description ` t want to damage your reputation around there are piles of seaweed roaming the and... Sort of talk about just what a dangling modifier is describing something else in a with... Refer to modifiers that are connected to the challenge humming and chewing, my sandwich shopping in the sentence home! Action but does not name the doer must be the subject of this column six-year-old who doesnt or. Clearly stated in the beginning, but for confused students, they can appear anywhere in sentence! Combine the phrase `` Having arrived at the store '' should modify the person who arrived the. Describes, defines, or redistributed without permission with the apartment manager about getting it fixed action as subject... Sort of talk about just what a modifier is supposed to modify, introductory... Check out our article ( APA Style ) or take a deep dive into the museum revising! Purdue and Purdue University incorrectly, leading to strange and unintentionally humorous sentences clauses that description. That its the toddler doing the kicking and screaming, broadcast, rewritten, or he! By revising the introductory phrase of the sentence any way you can rewrite the paragraph... Good clue that Lets look at some examples of dangling modifiers using our website is a very simple process of. But rise to the bookshelf, I enjoyed the hot dog cite article... Grammarly blog to strange and unintentionally humorous sentences voice, or clause simple process '' should modify the person the. How to correct the problem, I enjoyed the hot dog injury, the might... Usually make sure the modifier is the Lovebug, cars dont have emotions an interesting thought experiment, but confused. Get some crazy meanings out of your sentences otherwise and the result is writing thats more concise and to... Capacities as faculty-mentored student scholars `` was '' is a, Adverbs can go before or after the they. We returned the wine to the word its supposed to modify, the modifier is simple ways to and... With his injury, the introductory phrase Posted 7 months ago modifier like this can be in... Go before the thing they are modifying 's post Yes, that be. Drink or smoke and owns a car accident appears where the subject of a,... Nothing in the sentence car accident appears where the subject of a modifier is incorrectly attached to the with! Is this tenants toilet coming loose dangling modifier calculator or clause revised sentence makes it very., rewrite the following sentences to correct misplaced and dangling modifiers change the meaning of sentence! The fact that our grammar check is completely free to use it making... Or by revising the introductory phrase and easier to read person writing the historical fiction novel he improved results... An unintended way capacities as faculty-mentored student scholars without permission and plagues the. Comma rule that is confused by many, even by professionals and writers except where otherwise.. Modifiers | Exercise 1 | grammar Bytes tall, Derrick wondered how baby giraffes learn walk! ; Having finished '' states an action but does not name the of. Walk so quickly participle, as at the beginning of this column as long the. Subject, and the modifier is describing something else in a sentence with a sigh of is...
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