A comprehensive guide to identifying and correcting modifier errors in English writing
Presented by All Things Verbal
Modifiers are words, phrases, or clauses that provide additional information about other words in a sentence.
Adjective: The red car sped down the highway.
Adverb: She sang beautifully at the concert.
Phrase: The dog with the wagging tail greeted everyone.
Modifiers placed too far from the words they modify, creating confusion about what is being modified.
Modifiers that don't clearly refer to any word in the sentence, leaving the meaning unclear.
Modifiers that could refer to either the word before or after them, creating ambiguity.
Words like "only," "just," "nearly" that change meaning based on placement in the sentence.
Misplaced modifiers are words or phrases that are positioned incorrectly in a sentence, making it unclear what they are supposed to modify.
"I saw a dog walking down the street with three legs."
Problem: It sounds like the street has three legs!
"Walking down the street, I saw a dog with three legs."
Solution: The modifier is now clearly connected to "I."
"She served sandwiches to the children on paper plates."
Problem: Are the children sitting on paper plates?
"She served sandwiches on paper plates to the children."
"The teacher handed out tests to students that were poorly written."
Problem: Were the students poorly written?
"The teacher handed out poorly written tests to students."
"I found a gold woman's ring."
Problem: Is the woman made of gold?
"I found a woman's gold ring."
Incorrect: "The car hit the tree driving too fast."
Analysis: "driving too fast" should modify "car," not "tree"
Corrected: "Driving too fast, the car hit the tree."
Or: "The car, driving too fast, hit the tree."
Instructions: Identify the misplaced modifier and rewrite the sentence correctly.
1. "The woman walked the dog wearing a red dress."
Think: Who is wearing the red dress?
2. "I saw a bird flying to school this morning."
Think: Who was going to school?
3. "The pizza was delivered to the customer that was stone cold."
Think: What was stone cold?
1. "Wearing a red dress, the woman walked the dog."
2. "Flying to school this morning, I saw a bird."
3. "The stone cold pizza was delivered to the customer."
"The photographer shot the model with a telephoto lens."
Problem: Does the model have a telephoto lens?
"Using a telephoto lens, the photographer shot the model."
"She ate the sandwich sitting by the window."
Problem: Was the sandwich sitting by the window?
"Sitting by the window, she ate the sandwich."
"The book was written by the author that had 500 pages."
Problem: Did the author have 500 pages?
"The 500-page book was written by the author."
"The professor explained the theory to the students using complex equations that was difficult to understand."
Multiple Problems:
"Using complex equations, the professor explained the difficult theory to the students."
Or: "The professor used complex equations to explain the theory, which was difficult for the students to understand."
Dangling modifiers are phrases that don't clearly connect to any word in the sentence. They "dangle" without a clear subject to modify.
"Walking through the park, the flowers were beautiful."
Problem: Were the flowers walking through the park?
"Walking through the park, I noticed the beautiful flowers."
Solution: Added a clear subject (I) for the dangling modifier.
"After finishing the homework, the TV was turned on."
Problem: Did the TV finish the homework?
"After finishing the homework, Sarah turned on the TV."
"To win the game, teamwork is essential."
Problem: Can teamwork win the game by itself?
"To win the game, the team needs good teamwork."
"Broken into pieces, I threw away the vase."
Problem: Was I broken into pieces?
"I threw away the vase, which was broken into pieces."
Add a clear subject that the modifier can logically modify.
Dangling: "While cooking dinner, the smoke alarm went off."
Fixed: "While I was cooking dinner, the smoke alarm went off."
Change the sentence structure to eliminate the dangling modifier.
Dangling: "While cooking dinner, the smoke alarm went off."
Fixed: "The smoke alarm went off while I was cooking dinner."
Turn the dangling phrase into a complete clause with its own subject and verb.
Instructions: Fix these dangling modifiers by adding a subject or restructuring.
1. "Running late for work, the coffee was left on the counter."
2. "To improve your writing, practice is necessary."
3. "Having studied all night, the test seemed easy."
4. "Excited about the trip, packing began immediately."
1. "Running late for work, I left the coffee on the counter."
2. "To improve your writing, you need to practice."
3. "Having studied all night, Maria found the test easy."
4. "Excited about the trip, we began packing immediately."
"Lost in thought, the book fell from my hands."
Problem: Was the book lost in thought?
"Lost in thought, I dropped the book from my hands."
"Hoping for good weather, the picnic was planned for Saturday."
Problem: Was the picnic hoping for good weather?
"Hoping for good weather, we planned the picnic for Saturday."
"Before leaving the house, the lights should be turned off."
Problem: Are the lights leaving the house?
"Before leaving the house, you should turn off the lights."
"Having been delayed by traffic, the meeting started without us."
Problem: Was the meeting delayed by traffic?
Option 1: "Having been delayed by traffic, we missed the start of the meeting."
Option 2: "Because we were delayed by traffic, the meeting started without us."
Option 3: "The meeting started without us because we were delayed by traffic."
When dealing with passive voice and complex modifiers, often the best solution is to restructure the entire sentence using active voice and clear subjects.
Squinting modifiers are ambiguous modifiers that could logically modify either the word before them or the word after them, creating confusion about the intended meaning.
"Students who study frequently get better grades."
Problem: Does "frequently" modify "study" or "get better grades"?
Meaning 1: Students who study frequently [always get better grades]
Meaning 2: Students who [frequently study] get better grades
If modifying "study": "Students who frequently study get better grades."
If modifying "get": "Students who study get better grades frequently."
"The teacher told the student after class he would get extra help."
Ambiguity: When would he get extra help - after class or at some other time?
Option 1: "After class, the teacher told the student he would get extra help."
Option 2: "The teacher told the student he would get extra help after class."
"Employees who work overtime regularly receive bonuses."
Ambiguity: Do they work overtime regularly, or do they regularly receive bonuses?
Option 1: "Employees who regularly work overtime receive bonuses."
Option 2: "Employees who work overtime receive bonuses regularly."
"The manager said yesterday the project would be completed."
Ambiguity: When did the manager speak, or when would the project be completed?
Option 1: "Yesterday, the manager said the project would be completed."
Option 2: "The manager said the project would be completed yesterday."
Move the modifier closer to the word you intend it to modify.
Squinting: "People who exercise regularly feel better."
Repositioned: "People who regularly exercise feel better."
Use commas to clarify which element the modifier affects.
Squinting: "The coach told the players before the game they were ready."
With Commas: "The coach told the players, before the game, they were ready."
Rewrite the sentence to eliminate the ambiguity entirely.
Squinting: "The coach told the players before the game they were ready."
Restructured: "Before the game, the coach told the players they were ready."
Instructions: Identify the squinting modifier and rewrite to eliminate ambiguity.
1. "The doctor told the patient in the morning he felt better."
Think: When did the doctor speak, or when did the patient feel better?
2. "Children who read books often score higher on tests."
Think: Do they often read books, or do they often score higher?
3. "The committee decided during the meeting the budget would be cut."
Think: When did they decide, or when would the budget be cut?
1a. "In the morning, the doctor told the patient he felt better."
1b. "The doctor told the patient he felt better in the morning."
2a. "Children who often read books score higher on tests."
2b. "Children who read books score higher on tests frequently."
3a. "During the meeting, the committee decided the budget would be cut."
3b. "The committee decided the budget would be cut during the meeting."
"The team that practices hard usually wins games."
Ambiguity: Do they practice hard usually, or do they usually win games?
Option 1: "The team that usually practices hard wins games."
Option 2: "The team that practices hard wins games usually."
"The professor announced during the lecture the exam would be postponed."
Ambiguity: When was the announcement made, or when would the exam be postponed?
Option 1: "During the lecture, the professor announced the exam would be postponed."
Option 2: "The professor announced the exam would be postponed during the lecture."
Limiting modifiers are words that restrict or limit the meaning of other words. Their placement dramatically affects the sentence's meaning.
1. "Only I gave him five dollars." (Nobody else gave him money)
2. "I only gave him five dollars." (I didn't lend, I gave)
3. "I gave only him five dollars." (I didn't give anyone else money)
4. "I gave him only five dollars." (The amount was limited to five)
1. "Just she completed the assignment." (Only she, nobody else)
2. "She just completed the assignment." (Recently finished)
3. "She completed just the assignment." (Only the assignment, nothing else)
1. "Nearly everyone attended the meeting." (Almost all people came)
2. "Everyone nearly attended the meeting." (Everyone almost came but didn't)
1. "Even the teacher made mistakes." (Surprising that the teacher made mistakes)
2. "The teacher even made mistakes." (In addition to other things, made mistakes)
3. "The teacher made even mistakes." (Made mistakes that were surprising)
Place limiting modifiers immediately before the word or phrase they are intended to limit for clearest meaning.
Unclear: "I only want to help you with math." (Ambiguous)
Analysis: What is being limited - the wanting, the helping, or the subject?
Corrected Options:
Instructions: Rewrite each sentence by placing the limiting modifier correctly for the intended meaning.
1. "She only studied for two hours." (Intended: The amount of time was limited to two hours)
2. "The store nearly sold 100 items." (Intended: The number was close to but less than 100)
3. "He just wants to pass the test." (Intended: His goal is simply to pass, nothing more)
4. "Even the principal attended the assembly." (Intended: It was surprising that the principal came)
1. "She studied for only two hours."
2. "The store sold nearly 100 items."
3. "He wants just to pass the test." OR "He wants only to pass the test."
4. "Even the principal attended the assembly." (Already correct)
Problem: Modifier in wrong position
Solution: Move closer to modified word
Problem: No clear subject to modify
Solution: Add subject or restructure
Problem: Ambiguous placement
Solution: Reposition for clarity
Problem: Changes meaning with placement
Solution: Place immediately before limited element
Clarity in writing comes from precise placement of modifiers. Always ensure your modifiers clearly connect to their intended targets.
Thank you for learning about Modifier Errors!
Practice makes perfect - keep writing clearly!
All Things Verbal