Dangling Modifier: How to identify and fix them perfectly
In the field of English literature, the dangling modifier is often considered a grammatical error. The literal meaning of Dangler is hanging to something, whereas the term modifier is closely related to the grammatical aspect, which signifies minor changes. Hence, the sentences with loose ends are signified by the phrase dangling modifier in the English language discipline.
What do you mean by a dangler modifier?
You should understand the dangling modifier before moving to the detailed discussion about how to use the dangling modifiers. So, let us move on to our major question, what is a dangling modifier? A particular phrase or word that gives meaning to a senseless sentence is termed a dangling modifier in the field of English literature. If described in a very simple language, the use of modifiers modifies a group of different words though it was not targeted to be, then it could be termed as a dangling modifier.
The writer is allowed to change the meaning of the whole sentence if the modifier doesn’t make any specific impact on the Pronouns or Nouns used in the paper.
E.g.
Incorrect: Listening to the music, emotional got I.
In this case, the modifier should interchange “I” instead of “emotional.”
Correct: Listening to music, I got emotional.
Even if you consider the context of professional writing, the significance of modifiers is very high, and they could be classified into two divisions.
- Distant Modifier
When the targeted phrases are far from that the modified phrases, they could be termed distant modifiers.
E.g.
Tina was not happy with Stephen when he decided to leave the job for a vacation casually.
The intended subject, Stephen, could be observed to be very far from the term “casually” in this sentence. - Missing Subject
The readers would not understand the sentence’s real meaning and would be left confused if the subject is missing in it.
“Entering into the bathroom, the floor was wet.”
If you observe the first phrase, “Entering into the bathroom,” it could be noted that the subject is missing. It could be modified; hence, the same could be termed a dangling sentence. The writer could bring more sense to it by placing an appropriate dangling modifier on either side of the sentence.
“Entering into the bathroom, she observed that the floor was wet.”
How to recognize the dangling modifiers
It is in particular grammatical structures, clauses, and phrases that the dangling modifiers are particularly observed. Below are mentioned down some of the prominent examples of dangling modifiers.
Present participle/ participle phrase
Incorrect: Walking into the room, the fan was on.
The sentence above gives the perception that “the fan” walked into the room, which is entirely wrong.
Correct: Walking into the room, I found that the fan was on.
More examples of dangling modifiers are provided in the below section of this report.
Incorrect: Strolling through the street, a bike hit him.
Correct: Strolling through the street, he was hit by a bike.
Incorrect: Driving through the jungle, the tree looked like a blanket.
Correct: Driving through the jungle, he was not able to see the sky.
Incorrect: Going through the books, a lizard appeared on the page.
Correct: Going through the books, he noticed that a lizard appeared on the page.
Past participle/ Past Participle Phrase
Incorrect: Exposed to the sun for a while, passed out the child.
Correct: The child passed out exposed to the sun for a while.
Incorrect: Drained and tired, a break is taken by the student.
Correct: Drained and tired, the student took a break.
Perfect participle
Incorrect: After arriving at the meeting, the major issues were discussed by the company’s managing team.
Correct: After being arrived at the meeting, the company’s managing team discussed the major issues.
Incorrect: Being arrived late for the class, a written application was demanded entry.
Correct: Being arrived late for the class, the teacher demanded a written application for entry.
Adjective Phrase
Incorrect: Bold and Adamant, brashly behaving to guests, seemed not awkward to him.
Correct: Bold and Adamant, he didn’t think that behaving brashly to the guests was awkward.
Incorrect: Full of confidence and energy, Thomas’s assigned task seemed simple.
Correct: Full of confidence and energy, Thomas found the assigned task very simple.
Reduced Adverbial Clause
Incorrect: Driving back home, a collision happened with Williams.
Correct: Driving back home, Williams came across a collision.
Incorrect: While running on the pavement, his leg got fractured.
Correct: While running on the pavement, he fractured his leg.
Fixing misplaced modifiers or dangling modifiers
You could not effectively fix the dangling modifiers just by arranging and restructuring the words in a sentence. To create an appropriate impact on the targeted phrase or group of words, some additions should be made by the writers in the content.
Incorrect: Being confused, the product was returned to the shop.
Correct: Being confused, Roger returned the product to the shop.
Incorrect: Angry, bashed all of them for underperformance.
Correct: Angry, the boss bashed all of them for underperformance.
By following the tips provided in the below section of this article, you could appropriately fix the dangling modifiers in your academic papers.
- Rephrase the main clause
You could easily recognize and fix the dangling modifier in the text by rephrasing the sentence’s main clause. Thus, appropriately placing the subject in the sentence would address the issue of a dangling modifier.
E.g.
Incorrect: Getting fractured in the left foot, it was impossible to run in a marathon.
Correct: Getting fractured in the left foot, John could not run in a marathon.
After the modification, the subject “John” appears in the sentence. - Rephrase the modifier phrase
The alternative method to fix the dangling modifier is by rephrasing the modifier phrase. In this approach, the subject is inserted in the introductory phrase by not even touching the main clause.
E.g.
Incorrect: Getting fractured in the left foot, it was impossible to run in a marathon.
Correct: Since John fractured his left foot, he couldn’t run in a marathon.
The action John is focused on modifying the dangling modifier in the correct sentence. The phrase is replaced with a complete sentence.
From the discussion provided in the above section of this article, you may have understood that the dangling modifiers’ presence would bring down the quality of the paper as a whole. By going strictly through the discussion mentioned in this article, you could easily identify the dangling modifiers, thus, drafting the whole assignment with impeccable grammar.
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We hope that this article on the dangling modifier was quite helpful to you. Thank You.
