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Chapter 15. Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers. English Brushup, 3E John Langan. Misplaced Parts. When building a sentence, avoid needless separation of related parts of the sentence. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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© 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
English Brushup, English Brushup, 3E3EJohn LanganJohn Langan
Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
Chapter 15
© 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.English Brushup, 3E
Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
• 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.
Misplaced Parts
© 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.English Brushup, 3E
Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
• Modifiers such as almostalmost, , onlyonly,, justjust, , eveneven, , hardlyhardly, , nearlynearly, and merelymerely, 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.
• Modifiers such as almostalmost, , onlyonly,, justjust, , eveneven, , hardlyhardly, , nearlynearly, and merelymerely, 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.
Misplaced Parts
© 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.English Brushup, 3E
Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
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.
Misplaced Parts
© 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.English Brushup, 3E
Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
A modifyingphrase should
clearly indicatewhat the phrase
modifies.
Example…..Example…..Her job is to file newspaperarticles about handgun use in the library.
Example…..Example…..Her job is to file newspaperarticles about handgun use in the library.
Revised…..Revised…..Her job in the library is to file newspaper articles about handgun use.
Revised…..Revised…..Her job in the library is to file newspaper articles about handgun use.
Misplaced Parts
© 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.English Brushup, 3E
Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
Modifying clauses should beplaced near the words they modify.
Modifying clauses should beplaced near the words they modify.
Example…..Example…..The librarian explains
how they use the computer to do research
before the classbegins.
Example…..Example…..The librarian explains
how they use the computer to do research
before the classbegins.
Revised…..Revised…..Before the class
begins, the librarian explains
how they use the computer to do research.
Revised…..Revised…..Before the class
begins, the librarian explains
how they use the computer to do research.
Modifying Clauses
© 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.English Brushup, 3E
Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
Dangling Modifiers
A modifier that opens a sentence must be followed immediately by the word it is meant to describe.
Otherwise, the result is a
© 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.English Brushup, 3E
Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
Dangling Modifiers
Here’s an example:
Jumping from limb to limb, the spectators at the zoo were delighted by the monkeys.
(The spectators weren’t jumping, were they?)
© 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.English Brushup, 3E
Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
Dangling Modifiers
That’s the trouble with
Your sentences take on an unintended meaning.
Let’s correct the sentence about the monkeys.
© 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.English Brushup, 3E
Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
Dangling Modifiers
Incorrect:
Jumping from limb to limb, the spectators at the zoo were delighted by the monkeys.
Correct:Correct:
Jumping from limb to limb, the monkeys delighted the spectators at the zoo.
How did the sentence change?
© 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.English Brushup, 3E
Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
Dangling Modifiers
We put the subject right after the opening word group.
Jumping from limb to Jumping from limb to limb, the limb, the delighted the delighted the spectators at the zoo.spectators at the zoo.
Can we fix the sentence another way?
© 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.English Brushup, 3E
Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
Dangling Modifiers
Yes! We can place the subject within the opening word group.
While the were While the were jumping from limb jumping from limb to limb, they to limb, they delighted the delighted the spectators at the zoo.spectators at the zoo.
Let’s review. . .
© 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.English Brushup, 3E
Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
Correcting Dangling Modifiers
Decide on a logical subject, and do one of the following:
1. Place the subject right after the opening word group.
OROR
2. Place the subject within the opening word group.
