Avoiding Dangling Modifiers: Examples and Solutions
Table of Contents
The word "dangling" refers to hanging or swinging loosely. A modifier, on the other hand, is a word or phrase that makes partial or minor changes to something. In English grammar, a dangling modifier is a modifier (word or phrase) that modifies a word not clearly stated in the sentence, resulting in an incomplete or unclear meaning. Examples of Dangling Modifiers Example: Incorrect: Hearing the good news, happiness was mine. Incorrect: Hearing the good news, happy I was. Correct: Hearing the good news, I was happy. Here, the modifier in the incorrect sentences should modify the word 'I,' but it incorrectly modifies 'happy' or 'happiness.' The action of hearing is performed by the person ('I'), not by happiness. Common Structures for Dangling Modifiers Present Participle or Participle Phrase A present participle or participle phrase acts as a dangling modifier when it is not properly connected to the noun or pronoun it intends to modify. Example: Inco…