DANGLING MODIFIERS by Cát Ly Trương Nguyễn

MISPLACED PARTS, DANGLINGSTRUCTURES & NON-PARALLELEDSTRUCTURES

catlytruong — 2023-11-09 12:39:21 UTC

MISPLACED PARTS

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MODIFIER

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A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that describes, qualifies, or limits the meaning of another word. Modifiers that are not correctly placed can make a sentence confusing.

catlytruong — 2023-11-09 12:39:21 UTC

MISPLACED : The instructor announced that the term paper was due on April 25 at the beginning of class.

[Are the papers due at the beginning of class on the 25th, or did the instructor make the announcement at the beginning of class?]

You can easily avoid misplaced modifiers if you make sure that modifiers immediately precedeor follow the words they modify.

CORRECT: At the beginning of class, the instructor announced that the term paper was due on April 25.

Misplaced modifiers

catlytruong — 2023-11-09 12:39:21 UTC

Misplaced modifiers do not describe or explain the words the writer intended them to.

Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

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Kinds of misplaced modifiers

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Misplaced adjectives

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Placement of adverbs

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Misplaced phrases

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Misplaced clauses

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Subordinate clause

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Should be placed nearly the words they modify

Words

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Should be placed immediately before the words they modify

A Dangling modifiers

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A Dangling Construction

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A Dangling Construction is a phrase or clause that either modifies nothing in the sentence or that seems to modify a word to which it is not logically related.

Dangling constructions do not clearly describe or explain any part of the sentence. Dangling constructions create confusion and sometimes unintentional humor. To avoid dangling constructions, make sure that each modifier has a clear antecedent.

A Dangling Construction

catlytruong — 2023-11-09 12:39:21 UTC

DANGLING : Rounding the curve, a fire hydrant was hit by the speeding car.
[The modifier suggests that the hydrant rounded the curve.]
CORRECT : Rounding the curve, the speeding car hit the fire hydrant.

[Modifies ‘car’]

DANGLING : Uncertain of what courses to take next semester, the academic adviser
listed five options.

[The modifier suggests that the adviser was uncertain of what courses to take]
CORRECT : Uncertain of what courses to take next semester, the student spoke to an academic adviser, who listed five options.
DANGLING : Flood damage was visible crossing the river.

[The modifier makes it sound as though flood damage was crossing the river.]

CORRECT : Flood damage was visible as we crossed the river.

REVISE DANGLING CONSTRUCTIONS

catlytruong — 2023-11-09 12:39:21 UTC

❖ Add a word or words that the modifier clearly describes.
DANGLING : While watching television, the cake burned.
CORRECT : While watching television, Sarah burned the cake.
❖ Expand the dangling modifier into a subordinate clause.
You may need to change the verb form in the modifier.
DANGLING : While watching television, the cake burned.
CORRECT : While Sarah was watching television, the cake burned.

NON-PARALLELED STRUCTURES

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NON-PARALLELED STRUCTURES

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Parallelism is a method of ensuring that words, phrases, and clauses in a series are in the same
grammatical form.

1. Use parallel ideas in a series.

catlytruong — 2023-11-09 12:39:21 UTC

All items in a series should be in parallel form – all nouns, all prepositional phrases, all adverb
clauses, and so on. Such parallelism makes a series both graceful and easy to follow.

catlytruong — 2023-11-09 12:39:21 UTC

NONPARALLEL: The duties of the job included baby-sitting, house-cleaning, and the preparation of the meals.

PARALLEL: The duties of the job included baby-sitting, house-cleaning, and preparing the meals.

2. Use parallel structures for independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction.

catlytruong — 2023-11-09 12:39:21 UTC

In general, use the same grammatical structure on both sides of any of the coordinating conjunctions- and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet

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NONPARALLEL: Consult a friend in your class or who is good at math.
PARALLEL: Consult a friend who is in your class or who is good at math.
PARALLEL: Consult a friend who is in your class or is good at math.

3. Avoid faulty parallelism with and who, and Which

catlytruong — 2023-11-09 12:39:21 UTC

Do not use an and who or an and which clause in a sentence unless you have already used a parallel who or which clause.

catlytruong — 2023-11-09 12:39:21 UTC

FAULTY PARALLELISM We met Abner Fulton, a brilliant biologist and who is also an excellent pianist.

REVISED We met Abner Fulton, who is a brilliant biologist and who is also an excellent pianist.

REVISED We met Abner Fulton, who is both a brilliant biologist and an excellent pianist.

FAULTY PARALLELISM She likes a romantic novel with exciting action and which keeps her guessing

REVISED She likes a romantic novel which has exciting action and which keeps her guessing.

4. Use parallel constructions with ideas linked with correlative conjunctions

catlytruong — 2023-11-09 12:39:21 UTC

Use the same structure after both parts of a correlative conjunction - either- or, neither-nor, not only – but also, both – and, whether – or.

catlytruong — 2023-11-09 12:39:21 UTC

NONPARALLEL You are either late or I am early.
(An adjective made parallel with a clause.)
PARALLEL Either you are late or I am early.
(two parallel clauses.)

NONPARALLEL Jim not only has been outstanding in athletics, but also in his studies. (A verb made parallel with a preposition).

PARALLEL Jim, has been outstanding not only in athletics, but also in his studies. (Two parallel phrases).

5. Use parallel structures in comparisons linked with THAN or AS

catlytruong — 2023-11-09 12:39:21 UTC

In comparisons linked with than or as, the elements being compared should be expressed in parallel grammatical structure.

catlytruong — 2023-11-09 12:39:21 UTC

NONPARALLEL My mother could not persuade me that giving is as much a joy as to receive.

PARALLEL My mother could not persuade me that giving is as much a joy as receiving.