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Dangling Modifier

While writing or reading, have you seen a sentence that doesn’t make sense? Something like, while walking to the store, rain started pouring. Wait, was it the rain that seemed to be walking to the store? The subject sounds very unclear and inappropriate. This is an example of a dangling modifier. It makes your sentence sound awkward, ambiguous, and even nonsensical. But worry not, as this blog explores what is dangling modifier with examples, and how to fix it in your writing.

What is a dangling modifier?

A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that gives information about another word in the same sentence. In extension to it, a dangling modifier refers to a grammatical error that occurs when a modifying word or phrase is not ligcally connected to other word or phrase. That’s what is a dangling modifier in a sentence, occurs due to the intended subject being missing or unclear.

Which sentence contains a dangling modifier?

A dangling or misplaced modifier could sneak into your sentences unintentionally, no matter what type of tone you use in writing. It occurs when a descriptive phrase is not clearly attached to the word it is supposed to modify.

Dangling modifier in a sentence: situation 1

Let’s take a dangling modifier example: “After eating cheese burger, the belly got full.” At first glance, it may seem fine, but a closer look reveals that the modifier “After eating cheese burger” doesn’t specify who eats the cheese burger or whose belly got full. Instead, it shows that belly ate the burger. Now, where is the problem? The error appears when the sentence lacks a proper subject for the modifying phrase.

Danging modifier in a sentence: situation 2

Likely, a dangling modifier in a sentence could also appear in a sentence when the subject is placed too far from the modifying phrase, making it hard for the reader to understand what’s happening.  For example, “Covered in dust, the old bookshelf stood in the corner while Tom cleaned it”, in this sentence, the modifying phrase, “covered in dust”, describes “the old bookshelf”, but it depicts the meaning that the subject, “Tom, was covered in dust.”

In both cases, the dangling modifier unintentionally changes the sentence’s meaning, making it confusing and unclear for the reader.

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How to Fix a Dangling Modifier

If you are juggling with dangling or misplaced modifier, here are three ways to fix it with examples for each.

1) Add the subject

To fix the dangling modifier, add the subject that the modifying phrase is intended to describe after the modifier. As a result, your modifier refers to the right person or thing in the sentence. Here’s a breakdown of the dangling modifier examples with revised versions to help you remove ambiguity and nonsensical from the sentence.

2) Lessen the gap between modifier and subject

Another way to fix dangling modifiers is to reduce the distance between the modifier and the word or phrase it modifies by placing the subject right after it. You can even lessen the gap by including the subject between the modifier phrase. Still puzzled? Get through the below dangling modifier example to fix danglings in your content.

3) Change the modifier

Lastly, to understand how to avoid a dangling modifier, simply change or rephrase the modifier itself to make sure it modifies the intended word or phrase in the sentence. You can do it by shifting the modifier to the following phrase and bringing the last words to the start of the modifier, as we do in our examples below.

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Count on Professional Proofreaders to Fix Dangling Modifiers

Nobody wants dangling modifiers to make their content ambiguous and unclear to the reader, whether it’s a student assignment or a professional write-up. That’s where you need to count on the best proofreading services for more polished content. With our affordable service, the content we improve will reflect clarity and professionalism, far far away from dangling modifiers.