A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that provides descriptions in sentences.
Warning:Modifiers Must Be Next to the Thing They're modifying
Rule-1
Illogical Participial Modifiers
A participial phrase can be used to join two sentences with a common subject. But when the two
sentences/ phrases do not have a common subject, we call the participial phrase an illogical participial
modifier. More simply put, if there are two phrased in a sentence and the first phrase describe an action
performed by a subject without mentioning the subject, the subject that had been insinuated in the first
phrase must immediately be mentioned at the beginning of the second phase.
Example:
Incorrect: Coming out of the department store, John’s wallet was stolen.
Correct: Coming out of the department store, John had his wallet stolen.
Rule-2
Misplaced Words
The adverbs such as almost, even, ever, just, merely, hardly, nearly, and scarcely must always be placed
right next to the word they modify.
Example:
Incorrect: The mouse almost ate all the cheese bits.
Correct: The mouse ate almost all the cheese bits.
Rule-3
Misplaced Phrases and Clauses
If you use a modifying phrase or clause in a sentence, it is vital that you place the modifying phrase or
clause as close to the words it modifies as possible.
Example:
Incorrect: I heard that my brother decided to go abroad for his studies while I was outside
standing by the door.
Correct: While I was standing outside by the door, I heard that my brother decided to
abroad for his studies.
Here, ‘While I was standing outside by the door’ is the modifying phrase and it modifies the action of ‘I
heard that’. So, it is vital that the action is immediately followed by the phrase that modifies it in order to
avoid ambiguity.
Rule-4
Squinting modifiers
When a modifier is used in a sentence in such a way that it can be modifying either the word before it or
the word after it, but it is confusing as to which word it is really modifying is called a squinting modifier.
Remember this, if you are confused as to whether a modifier is modifying the word after it or the word
before it, and you ‘squint’ your eyes looking at it out of confusion, then it’s a squinting modifier.
Example:
Incorrect: Defining your terms will clearly strengthen your argument.
Correct: Defining your terms clearly will strengthen your argument.
Correct: A clear definition of your terms will strengthen your argument.
Rule-5
Dangling modifiers
When the subject and verb of a phrase or dependent clause are implied and not directly expressed, then
the phrase or the dependent clause is called a dangling modifier. A dangling modifier acts as an adjective
but does not modify any particular word in the sentence.
Example:
Incorrect: Raised in Old Dhaka, it is natural to grow up loving biriyani.
Correct: For a person raised in Old Dhaka, it is natural to grow up loving biriyani.
Here, in the Incorrect sentence, the subject is not clearly mentioned, but it is implied that there is a subject
which in this case is a person generally raised in Dhaka. This sentence is structurally incorrect and needs
to have a clearly mentioned subject.
Video Topic: Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers(Part-01)
Video Topic: Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers(Part-02)