UWF WRITING LABRULES OF THUMB FOR

DANGLING AND MISPLACED MODIFIERS

From Real Good Grammar, Too

by Mamie Webb Hixon

1Created by April Turner Revised by

Mamie Webb Hixon

When flashing, exit elevator.SAY WHAT?

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When flashing, exit elevator.This modifier dangles unless the subject of the

sentence (the understood “you”) is flashing.

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CORRECTION:When the light is flashing,

exit elevator.

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As an instructor, the following official course shells have been created for you in eLearning.

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As an instructor, the following official course shellshave been created for you in eLearning.The phrase “as an instructor” needs a word to describe. That word is the subject of the sentence – “course shells.” Since “course shells’ is not the agent being desribed, the end result is . . .

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A DANGLING MODIFIER

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So who’s rapidly sending the photo – persons with ill-intent or the person with the iPhone? If you suspect you are about to

become a victim of kidnapping, rape, robbery or assault, point your iPhone at the suspicious person and push the Ice Pics button on the iPhone. IcePics will email a picture of the bad guy along with the GPS location of that photo instantly to contacts pre-selected by the owner. By rapidly sending a photo of a person to remote emails, persons with ill-intent will think twice because their chances of being caught rise astronomically.

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A Dangling Modifier

Dangling modifiers are words or phrases which “dangle” because they have no word in the sentence to describe:

While taking a shower, the doorbell rang.

The doorbell was taking a shower?

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A Dangling Modifier

As an instructor, the following official course shellshave been created for you in eLearning.

As an instructor, you have the following official course shells created for you in eLearning.

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Dangling Modifiers

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After hearing both sides of the argument,

the judge decided the case.or

a decision was made.

the judge decided the case.

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To ensure that all requirements are met,

a passing score on the test is needed.

or

each person must pass a test.each person must pass a test.

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After hearing both sides of the argument,

the application was turned in.or

please return this application.please return this application.(You is the understood subject.)

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REVISING DANGLING MODIFIERS

Reword the part of the sentence following the dangling modifier, or reword the dangling modifier itself.

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Revise dangling modifiers

by adding a headword—a noun or pronoun that is described:While I was taking a shower, the doorbell

rang. OR

While taking a shower, I heard the doorbell ring.

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Here are some modifiers in search of a subject – a word to modify Before swimming, . . . Exhausted by the hot weather, . . . Working ten hours a day, six days a week, . . . In making a career decision, . . . After moving all the outdoor furniture into the garage, . . . In filling out the form, . . . Before starting to bake a cake, . . . To be an SGA officer, . . . In order to earn money for your tuition, . . .

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DANGLING MODIFIERS

Before swimming,

heavy meals should be avoided.

avoid heavy meals.

Exhausted by the hot weather,

there was nothing to do but lie in the shade.

we decided to lie in the shade.

Working ten hours a day, six days a week,

John’s first novel was completed in six months.

John completed his novel in six months.

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DANGLING MODIFIERS

In making a career decision,

my adviser was a big help.

I received good help from my adviser.

After moving all the outdoor furniture into the garage,

there was no room left for the car.

we had no room left for the car.

In filling out the form,

an original and two copies are required.

you need an original and two copies.

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MORE DANGLING MODIFIERS

Before starting to bake a cake,

assemble all of the ingredients.

all of the ingredients need to be assembled.

To be an SGA officer,

you need above average grades.

your grades need to be above average.

In order to earn money for your tuition,

you must get a job.

it’s important that you get a job.

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MORE DANGLING MODIFIERS

“In addition to being ugly and inappropriate, the students often make grammatical errors on their signs.”

“In addition to the signs’ being ugly and inappropriate, the students often make grammatical errors on their signs.”

A Misplaced Modifier

is placed too close to some other word that it does not intend to modify:

I only speak one language.

All you ever do is speak one language?

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ONLYPlace only next to what it modifies.

I hit him only in the eye. Only I hit him in the eye. I only hit him in the eye. I hit him in the eye only.

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Revise misplaced modifiers

by placing the modifier next to its headword:

I speak only one language.

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REVISING MISPLACED MODIFIERSMove the modifier next to the word it is

actually modifying. Toyota may be held

liable for the car to the plaintiff with broken wheels.

Toyota may be held liable to the plaintiff for the car with broken wheels.

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Split Infinitive

An infinitive is a grammatical unit consisting of the bare form of a verb (without an –s) preceded by the preposition to: to choose, to explain, to dance, to go, to learn, to be, to brush

Splitting an infinitive is inserting an adverb between the sign of the infinitive (to) and the verb: to freely choose, to quickly explain, to gracefully dance, to boldly go, to really learn, to not be, to regularly brush

Some grammar purists and many traditional grammarians consider a split infinitive as a vice, an error.

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Split Infinitives

are misplaced modifiers which are placed between the preposition to and the verb in an infinitive

Dentists encourage children to regularly brush their teeth.

The modifier regularly is splitting the infinitive to brush.

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Revising split infinitives

Move the modifier to another part of the sentence:

Dentists encourage children to brush their teeth regularly.

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THE MOST RECOGNIZABLE SPLIT INFINITIVE IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

“To boldly go where no man has gone before”

The modifier boldly is splitting the infinitive to go.

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THE MOST RECOGNIZABLE SPLIT INFINITIVE IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

“To boldly go where no man has gone before”

Grammar purists want to move boldly: “To go boldly where . . . .”

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Revising split infinitives

We hope that you will take the time to carefully examine this new textbook.

We hope that you will take the time to examine this new textbook carefully.

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Revising split infinitives

The President promised to quickly name a successor.

The President promised to name a successor quickly.

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Revising split infinitives

The most popular belief about the purpose of Stonehenge is that it was built as an observatory to mark the summer and winter solstices, the various phases of the moon, shifts in patterns of the stars, and to perhaps even predict eclipses.

The most popular belief about the purpose of Stonehenge is that it was built as an observatory to mark the summer and winter solstices, the various phases of the moon, shifts in patterns of the stars, and perhaps even to predict eclipses.

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Split infinitives that should be avoided: 

An infinitive that is split by a negative word

WRONG: Try to not be late.

CORRECT: Try not to be late.

WRONG: Liz and Angie try to not argue over which Backstreet boy is the cutest.

CORRECT: Liz and Angie try not to argue over which Backstreet boy is the cutest.

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Split infinitives that should be avoided: 

An infinitive that is split by multiple words

WRONG:The manager expects to before the end of the month resign.

CORRECT: The manager expects to resign before the end of the month.

WRONG: Students should try to, during the first semester of their freshman year, satisfy the writing skills requirement.

CORRECT: Students should try to satisfy the writing skills requirement during the first semester of their freshman year.

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Some split infinitives are acceptable because the modifier cannot be moved without creating an awkward sentence.

Police are looking for a suspect who tried to sexually assault a college student.

 Prices are expected to more than double next year.

The company needs to substantially increase its level of investment.

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Acceptable or unacceptable?

This issue concerns the people's right to freely choose.

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Squinting Modifiers

are misplaced modifiers which seem to modify two words:

Patty who was walking quickly reached the club.

Is Patty walking quickly, or is she quickly reaching the club?

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Revise squinting modifiers

by changing the word order so there is no ambiguity:Patty, who was quickly walking, reached the

club.OR

Patty who was walking reached the club quickly.

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LET’S PRACTICE!!!

Having encountered this problem many times before, the flat tire was easy for me to fix. Having encountered this problem many times

before, I could fix the flat tire easily. I only have classes on Tuesdays and

Thursdays. I have classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays

only.

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LET’S PRACTICE A LITTLE MORE!!!

In group situations, the people who participate sometimes can be annoying when they don’t know what they are doing.

…who participate can sometimes be annoying… It is the citizens’ right to openly criticize the

government without fear of being harassed. …right to criticize the government openly without

fear of being harassed.

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