Correcting Dangling Modifiers
What is a dangling modifier?
How to fix dangling modifiers
Review A
Review B
What is a dangling modifier?
A modifier should clearly and sensibly describe
another word or word group.
Look at this sentence:
?
Rowing on the lake, strange bugs were seen.
Modifier
Who or what is rowing on the lake?
Bugs?
What is a dangling modifier?
A dangling modifier is a modifier that doesn’t
clearly and sensibly modify another word or word
group.
?
?
Dressed inthe
Hurrying,
warm
ski lift
clothing,
stopped,the
and
cold
thewas
boys
nogot
problem.
on.
ski lift
hurrying?
Was the cold
dressed
in warm
clothing?
What is a dangling modifier?
Dangling modifiers often occur at the
beginning of a sentence. When a sentence
begins with a participial phrase, use these
steps to see if the phrase is dangling.
Step 1: Look at the word or word group right
after the comma.
Participial phrase
Making the bed, my cat
cat crawled
crawled
under the covers.
What is a dangling modifier?
Step 2: Ask, “Does it make sense
for the phrase to modify the word
after the comma?”
Dangling
Participial modifier
phrase
?
Making the bed, my cat crawled under the covers.
Was the cat making the bed?
No, it doesn’t make sense for the participial phrase to modify cat.
If the modifying phrase doesn’t sensibly modify
the word or word group after the comma, you
probably have a dangling modifier.
What is a dangling modifier?
Try it out with this sentence:
Dangling modifier
?
Listening to music, the doorbell could not be heard.
Which word or word group follows
the comma?
doorbell
Does it make sense that the
doorbell is listening to music?
No. The phrase is a dangling modifier.
What is a dangling modifier?
Dangling modifiers can occur in other places in a
sentence as well.
Dangling modifier
My head immediately hit the pillow, exhausted.
Was the pillow exhausted?
No.
Dangling modifier
The smells, approaching the bakery, were inviting.
Did the smells approach the bakery?
No.
What is a dangling modifier?
On Your Own
Circle the word or word group that appears to be modified
by the underlined phrase. Then, determine whether the
underlined phrase is a dangling modifier. Write D for a
dangling modifier or C if the modifier is not dangling.
___ 1. Riding our bikes in the mountains, the scenery was
great.
___ 2. Maya’s phone rang returning home.
___ 3. Checking the shelves, Judy found all the books she
needed.
___ 4. Filled with daisies, the two girls strolled through the
field.
[End of Section]
How to fix dangling modifiers
Participial phrases
When you find a participial phrase that is a
dangling modifier, fix the sentence by making the
meaning logical and clear.
Strategy 1: Revise the word group that follows
the dangling participial phrase.
Dangling modifier
?
Cleaning the attic, we
found
anwas
oldfound.
trunk.
an old
trunk
Now
the trunk
modifier
cleaning
attic logically and clearly modifies the
Was the
cleaning
thethe
attic?
subject we.
No. A logical subject—such as we—needs to follow the comma.
How to fix dangling modifiers
Participial phrases
Strategy 2: Change the dangling participial
phrase into a clause.
Dangling modifier
While
we were
cleaning
thetrunk
attic,was
an old
trunk was found.
Cleaning
the attic,
an old
found.
Changing the dangling modifier into a
clause makes the meaning clear. The
clause modifies was found. It tells when
the trunk was found.
How to fix dangling modifiers
On Your Own
Revise each sentence to correct the dangling modifier.
1. My father gave me a puppy at the age of ten.
2. Seated near the fifty-yard line, the game was easy
to see.
3. Running hard, the shoelace came untied.
4. Walking into the pet shop, the squawking of parrots
could be heard.
[End of Section]
Review A
Identify the dangling modifier in each sentence.
1. Reaching the top of the mountain, the view of the city
was amazing.
2. The stillness, entering the museum, made us
uncomfortable.
3. Discovered under a bush in the backyard, we took in the
kitten and cared for it.
4. Caring for a puppy, patience is needed.
5. Discouraged, no more races were run by him for a while.
[End of Section]
Review B
Revise each sentence to correct the dangling modifier.
1. Using the vacuum cleaner frequently, the carpets stayed
clean.
2. His helmet, wanting to be safe, was worn at all times.
3. Awakened by the garbage truck, it was hard to get back
to sleep.
4. Stored in the basement, I put the old books to good use.
5. The perfect quilt was found searching on the Internet.
[End of Section]
The End