SENTENCE ERRORS

M.Kurtzious
INTRODUCTION:
MISPLACED MODIFIERS

-Definition Of Misplaced Modifiers

-Types of Modifiers
- Examples of Misplaced Modifiers
DEFINITION: MISPLACED MODIFIER
A misplaced modifier is a type of grammatical error that occurs when a word , phrase, or
clause is placed too far away from the word or phrase it modifies, resulting in confusion or
ambiguity in the meaning of the sentence.
TYPES OF MODIFIERS
1. Classic/Regular misplaced modifiers- These are modifiers that appear to be modifying the
wrong noun in a sentence.
E.g The boys are watching movies on my phone smoking cigarettes quietly.
Smoking cigarettes quietly is a misplaced modifier at it seems to be modifying the noun ‘my
phone’ but intends to modify the noun ‘boys’. We all know phones can’t smoke cigarettes,boys
can
2. Exhausted, the weary traveller put down his old suitcase which was almost falling apart.
Notice that ’Exhausted’ and ‘weary’ precede ‘traveller’ which is the word being described, just
as ‘old’ goes directly before ‘suitcase’.
The clause ‘which was almost falling apart’ iis placed just after the target word ‘suitcase’.
Examples of Misplaced Modifier and Correct Use.
1. They imagined an extraordinary space trip in their classroom.(incorrect)
In their classroom, they imagine an extraordinary space trip.(correct)
2. From the ocean floor, Andy gave me a seashell.
Andy gave me a seashell from the ocean floor.
3. The researcher questioned the interviewee with the intake form.
With the intake form,the researcher questioned the interviewee.
DANGLING MODIFIERS
A dangling modifier appears to modify either the wrong word or no word at all because
the word it should logically modify is missing.
E.g Giving a party, several balloons were blown up.
(we know the balloons aren’t giving the party, (At least we hope) But since whoever
Is giving the party is not present in the sentence, our modifier is left dangling.
(correction : To fix this, we simply need to add a reference to the people giving the party
next to the modifier.
Giving a party, they blew up several balloons.
Examples of Dangling Modifiers
Looking towards the west, a funnel shaped cloud stirred up dust. (incorrect)
Looking toward the west , I saw a funnel shaped cloud stir up dust.(correct)
WAYS TO FIX DANGLING MODIFIERS
1. Name the appropriate doer of the action as the subject of the main clause.
. Having finished dinner, Jude turned on the rugby match.
2. Place the subject of the action with the dangling modifier.
- After Jude finished dinner, he turned on the rugby match.
1. Combine the phrase and and clause.
-Jude turned on the rugby match after finishing dinner.
SQUINTING MODIFIERS
A squinting modifier is a word that describes something but that is out of place. It is out
of place because it could modify the word or phrase that comes before or after it.
Squinting modifiers are usually adverbs.
E.g Jumping up and down quickly entertained him.
(The problem here is that the adverb “quickly” could modify the phrases “jumping up and
down” or “entertained him”. Is it that he was jumping up and down quickly? Or is it that
he was quickly entertained?
How To Fix Squinting Modifier:
- Sentences with squinting modifiers should be restructured so it is very clear which
word or words the modifier describes.
- Incorrect: Saving a life often made him proud.
(unclear meaning: Did he save a life often or did the action often make him feel
proud?
Correct: Saving a life made him feel proud often.
REFERENCE
Grammar. Word order: the misplaced modifier
Journal article·1982·DeBakey·Elsevier BV
Conveying the Perception of Humor Arising from Ambiguous Grammatical Constructs in Human-Chatbot Interaction
Journal article·2021·Farah, Sharma, Ingram, Gillet
The Mayfield Handbook of Technical and Scientific Writing
Book·1997·Perelman, Barrett
Concepts in sumoylation: a decade on
Journal article·2007·Geiss‐Friedlander, Melchior·Nature Portfolio