Chapter Thirty

Misplaced Modifiers
Prepared by Professors Rita Perkins and Paul Harris Camden County College
2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Chapter 30

Misplaced Parts
When building a sentence, avoid needless separation of related parts of the sentence. A misplaced modifier is positioned in a sentence so that it is unclear which word, phrase, or clause is modified.
English Skills with Readings, 5E 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Chapter 30

Modifiers such as almost, only, just, even, hardly, nearly, and merely, should be placed immediately before the words they modify. Example: My mother only works on Saturdays and Sundays. This sentence indicates that the mother only works -- she does not eat, sleep, or talk.
English Skills with Readings, 5E 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Misplaced Parts

Chapter 30

Misplaced Parts
We must place the modifier before a different word so the sentence is clearly understood.

Ex.: My mother only works on Saturdays and Sundays. Revised: My mother works only on Saturdays and Sundays.
English Skills with Readings, 5E 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Chapter 30

Misplaced Parts
A modifying phrase should clearly indicate what the phrase modifies.

Example.. Her job is to file newspaper articles about handgun use in the library.

Revised.. Her job in the library is to file newspaper articles about handgun use.

English Skills with Readings, 5E 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Chapter 30

Modifying Clauses
Modifying clauses should be placed near the words they modify. Revised.. Before the class begins, the librarian explains how they use the computer to do research. Example.. The librarian explains how they use the computer to do research before the class begins.

English Skills with Readings, 5E 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Chapter 30

Avoid squinting modifiers These modifiers appear to modify both preceding and following words, creating ambiguous meanings. Example. Students who review researching skills often will benefit.

Squinting Modifiers

English Skills with Readings, 5E 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Chapter 30

Squinting Modifiers
Students who review researching skills often will benefit. What does this sentence mean?
Students who often review researching skills are the ones who will benefit.
or

Students who review researching skills are the ones who often benefit. English Skills with Readings, 5E
2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Chapter 30

Avoid Split Infinitives

An infinitive is the to form of a verb: to dance, to listen, to sew. Example: Revised:

I decided to quickly research the median incomes of police officers.

English Skills with Readings, 5E

I decided to research quickly the median incomes of police officers.

2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Chapter 30

Dangling Modifiers
A dangling modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that does not modify any element in a sentence. Example: Who was researching? What is the subject of the Researching on the internet, many sentence? If many facts is the facts are easily subject, who is researching obtained for the on the internet?

report.

English Skills with Readings, 5E 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Chapter 30

Dangling Modifiers
Revised:

We is the subject so we are Researching on the researching on the internet, we internet. easily found many facts for the report.

English Skills with Readings, 5E 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Chapter 30

Dangling Modifiers
A dangling modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that does not modify any element in a sentence. Example:

Because of going to many parties, my term paper was late.

How would you revise this sentence?
English Skills with Readings, 5E 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Chapter 30

Practice Review
Identify each sentence as being CORRECT or INCORRECT:

Christina enrolled in an animal training program after graduation which was organized by a circus.

Incorrect

English Skills with Readings, 5E 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Chapter 30

Practice Review
Identify each sentence as being CORRECT or INCORRECT:

Bob trained a pig to use a litter box with love and patience.

Incorrect

English Skills with Readings, 5E 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Chapter 30

Practice Review
Identify each sentence as being CORRECT or INCORRECT:

The veterinarian explained why a pet owner should not hit her kitten on Monday night.
English Skills with Readings, 5E

Incorrec t

2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Chapter 30

Practice Review
Identify each sentence as being CORRECT or INCORRECT:

The animal trainer rode on the elephant with a broken foot.

Who had the broken foot , the trainer or the elephant?

Incorrect

English Skills with Readings, 5E 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Chapter 30

Practice Review
Identify each sentence as being CORRECT or INCORRECT:

What does this sentence The lioness watched the mean? trainer caring for her The lioness in the cage cub in the cage. caring for her cub Incorrect watched the trainer. or The lioness watched the trainer who was caring English Skills with Readings, 5E for her cub.

2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Chapter 30

Practice Review
Identify each sentence as being CORRECT or INCORRECT:

The horses at the riding stable only galloped for experienced riders.

Incorrect: galloped ONLY for experienced riders.

English Skills with Readings, 5E 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Chapter 30

Practice Review
Identify each sentence as being CORRECT or INCORRECT:

Having a coat that was well cared for, the dog was happy and healthy.

Correct

English Skills with Readings, 5E 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Chapter 30

Practice Review
Identify each sentence as being CORRECT or INCORRECT:

Brushing your dog daily, his tangles are eliminated.

Incorrect

English Skills with Readings, 5E 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Chapter 30

Practice Review
Identify each sentence as being CORRECT or INCORRECT:

Using human products on pets can be very harmful to the animals skin and eyes.
English Skills with Readings, 5E

Correct

2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Chapter 30

Practice Review
Identify each sentence as being CORRECT or INCORRECT:

Working with animals of all types, the pay is not as important as the personal satisfaction.
Incorrect: a person must be working with the animals.
2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

English Skills with Readings, 5E

Chapter 30

Practice Review
Identify each sentence as being CORRECT or INCORRECT:

Because of caring for so many animals, the grooming schedule was not completed at the zoo.
Incorrect: a person must be caring for the animals. English Skills with Readings, 5E
2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.