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Modifiers are adjectives and adverbs – including single words, phrases, or clauses – that
describe another word or group of words. Modifier placement can affect the meaning of
a sentence.
Place limiting modifiers – words like just, almost, even, hardly, only, merely,
nearly, simply, scarcely, and exactly next to the words they limit.
Jack said that he believed me.
Now add the modifier only. Notice how its placement affects the meaning.
Only Jack said that he believed me.
(Miguel didn’t say it. Mary didn’t say it. Only Jack said it.)
Jack only said that he believed me.
(Jack didn’t mean it. He only said it.)
Jack said that only he believed me.
(Jack said that Miguel and Mary didn’t believe me. Only he believed me.)
Jack said that he believed only me.
(Jack didn’t believe Miguel or Mary. He believed only me.)
Careless writers frequently misplace single-word modifiers that modify amounts:
* Changing word order will repair misplaced modifiers, but it will not repair dangling
modifiers.
Misplaced modifier: My favorite vacation photograph is the one my
grandmother as she sat atop a camel wearing her red tennis shoes.
Correct revision: My favorite photograph is the one of my grandmother wearing
her red tennis shoes as she sat atop a camel.
The modifier wearing her red tennis shoes now appear next to grandmother, the word it
modifies, so changing word order is effective.
Dangling modifier: While sitting atop a camel, my grandmother’s red tennis
shoes looked great.
Changing the word order in this sentence does not repair the dangling modifier.
Incorrect revision: Mt grandmother’s red tennis shoes looked great while sitting
atop a camel.
Correct revision: While sitting atop a camel, my grandmother looked great in her
red tennis shoes.