DTW GED PREP

Clarifying Meaning: Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

Modifiers are words or phrases that describe or provide more information about another word in a sentence. For writing to be clear and effective, modifiers must be positioned close to the word they modify. When they are not, the result is either a misplaced or a dangling modifier, both of which can confuse readers.

Misplaced Modifiers

A misplaced modifier is positioned too far from the word it is intended to describe. This often causes ambiguity or unintended meaning.

• Misplaced:
  Leaves fell gently down on the grass with bright autumn colors.
  (It sounds like the grass has autumn colors.)
• Corrected:
  Leaves with bright autumn colors fell gently down on the grass.
  (Now it’s clear that the leaves—not the grass—are colorful.)

Correction Tip: Move the modifier as close as possible to the word or phrase it modifies.

Dangling Modifiers

A dangling modifier lacks a clear word in the sentence to modify. Often, it appears at the beginning of a sentence but does not logically refer to any noun or pronoun that follows.

• Dangling:
  Following their trail closely, the lions were located.
  (It sounds like the lions were following their own trail.)
• Corrected:
  Following their trail closely, the safari leader located the lions.
  (Now it’s clear the safari leader was following the trail.)

Correction Tip: Add the word that the modifier is intended to describe, ensuring the sentence makes logical sense.

1.4 MISPLACED AND DANGLING MODIFIERS

Directions: Identify and underline the misplaced or dangling modifier in each sentence. Then, rewrite the sentence to clearly reflect the intended meaning.

1. We ate dinner at an elegant restaurant with the Carsons slowly.
2. Joanna had a hot dish of cereal this morning before she left for work.
3. After running home, the television was turned on to watch the baseball game.

1.4 MISPLACED AND DANGLING MODIFIERS

1. We ate dinner at an elegant restaurant with the Carsons slowly.

• Misplaced Modifier: slowly
• Explanation: The adverb slowly is placed in a position that makes it seem like the Carsons are being described, rather than the manner in which we ate. This causes confusion.
• Corrected Sentence:
  We slowly ate dinner with the Carsons at an elegant restaurant.
  or
  Slowly, we ate dinner with the Carsons at an elegant restaurant.

2. Joanna had a hot dish of cereal this morning before she left for work.

• Misplaced Modifier: this morning
• Explanation: As written, this morning seems to describe the cereal instead of when Joanna had it. This creates ambiguity or unintended humor.
• Corrected Sentence:
  This morning, Joanna had a hot dish of cereal before she left for work.
  or
  Joanna had a hot dish of cereal before she left for work this morning.

3. After running home, the television was turned on to watch the baseball game.

• Dangling Modifier: After running home
• Explanation: The phrase after running home does not clearly modify the subject that follows (the television), implying the television did the running. This is illogical.
• Corrected Sentence:
  After running home, I turned on the television to watch the baseball game.
  or
  I turned on the television to watch the baseball game after running home.