2.7 Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

Dangling Modifiers

A dangling modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that describes something that has been left out of the sentence. When there is nothing that the word, phrase, or clause can modify, the modifier is said to dangle.

Incorrect: Riding in the sports car, the world whizzed by rapidly.

Correct: As Jane was riding in the sports car, the world whizzed by rapidly.

In the incorrect sentence, riding in the sports car is dangling. The reader is left wondering who is riding in the sports car. The writer must tell the reader!

Incorrect: Walking home at night, the trees looked like spooky aliens.

Correct: As Jonas was walking home at night, the trees looked like spooky aliens.

Correct: The trees looked like spooky aliens as Jonas was walking home at night.

In the incorrect sentence walking home at night is dangling. Who is walking home at night? Jonas. Note that there are two different ways the dangling modifier can be corrected.

Incorrect: To win the spelling bee, Luis and Gerard should join our team.

Correct: If we want to win the spelling bee this year, Luis and Gerard should join our team.

In the incorrect sentence, to win the spelling bee is dangling. Who wants to win the spelling bee? We do!

Tip

The following three steps will help you quickly spot a dangling modifier:

  1. Look for an -ing modifier at the beginning of your sentence or another modifying phrase:
    1. Painting for three hours at night, the kitchen was finally finished by Maggie. (Painting is the -ing modifier.)
  2. Underline the first noun that follows it:
    1. Painting for three hours at night, the kitchen was finally finished by Maggie.
  3. Make sure the modifier and noun go together logically. If they do not, it is very likely you have a dangling modifier.
  4. After identifying the dangling modifier, rewrite the sentence.
    1. Painting for three hours at night, Maggie finally finished the kitchen.

Exercise 2

Rewrite the following the sentences onto your own sheet of paper to correct the dangling modifiers.

  1. Bent over backward, the posture was very challenging.
  2. Making discoveries about new creatures, this is an interesting time to be a biologist.
  3. Walking in the dark, the picture fell off the wall.
  4. Playing a guitar in the bedroom, the cat was seen under the bed.
  5. Packing for a trip, a cockroach scurried down the hallway.
  6. While looking in the mirror, the towel swayed in the breeze.
  7. While driving to the veterinarian’s office, the dog nervously whined.
  8. The priceless painting drew large crowds when walking into the museum.
  9. Piled up next to the bookshelf, I chose a romance novel.
  10. Chewing furiously, the gum fell out of my mouth.

Exercise 3

Rewrite the following paragraph correcting all the misplaced and dangling modifiers.

I bought a fresh loaf of bread for my sandwich shopping in the grocery store. Wanting to make a delicious sandwich, the mayonnaise was thickly spread. Placing the cold cuts on the bread, the lettuce was placed on top. I cut the sandwich in half with a knife turning on the radio. Biting into the sandwich, my favorite song blared loudly in my ears. Humming and chewing, my sandwich went down smoothly. Smiling, my sandwich will be made again, but next time I will add cheese.

Collaboration

Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.

Key Takeaways

  • Misplaced and dangling modifiers make sentences difficult to understand.
  • Misplaced and dangling modifiers distract the reader.
  • There are several effective ways to identify and correct misplaced and dangling modifiers.

This is adapted from the book Successful Writing (v. 1.0).

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Successful Writing (ENC0025) Copyright © 2023 by Florida State College at Jacksonville is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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