##  [Misplaced and dangling modifiers](/hypergrammar-2/misplaced-and-dangling-modifiers)

##  Avertissement

Ce contenu est offert en anglais seulement.

You have a certain amount of freedom in deciding where to place [modifiers](modifiers) in a [sentence](subject-and-predicate#sentence):

- We rowed the boat *vigorously*.
- We *vigorously* rowed the boat.
- *Vigorously* we rowed the boat.

However, you must be careful to avoid <a id="misplacedmodifiers">misplaced modifiers</a>—modifiers that are positioned so that they appear to modify the wrong thing. Paying attention to basic problems like misplaced and dangling modifiers can improve your writing.

## Misplaced words

In general, place single-word modifiers near the word or words they modify, especially when a reader might think that they modify something different in the sentence. Consider the following sentence:

- **\[WRONG\]** We could understand the Spanish spoken by our visitors from Madrid *easily*.

Do we *understand* the Spanish easily, or do the visitors *speak* it easily? The following revision eliminates the confusion:

- **\[RIGHT\]** We could *easily* understand the Spanish spoken by our visitors from Madrid.

It is particularly important to be careful about where you put <a id="limitingmodifiers">limiting modifiers</a>. These are words like *almost*, *hardly*, *nearly*, *just*, *only* and *merely*. Many writers regularly misplace these modifiers. You can accidentally change the entire meaning of a sentence if you place these modifiers next to the wrong word:

- **\[WRONG\]** Randy has *nearly* annoyed every manager he has worked for. (he hasn’t *nearly annoyed* them)
- **\[RIGHT\]** Randy has annoyed *nearly* every manager he has worked for.
- **\[WRONG\]** We *almost* ate all of the Thanksgiving turkey. (we didn’t *almost eat* it)
- **\[RIGHT\]** We ate *almost* all of the Thanksgiving turkey.

## Misplaced phrases and clauses

It is important to place the modifying [phrase](building-phrases#bldphr) or [clause](building-clauses) as close as possible to the word or words it modifies:

- **\[WRONG\]** By accident, he poked the little girl with his finger *in the eye*.
- **\[RIGHT\]** By accident, he poked the little girl *in the eye* with his finger.
- **\[WRONG\]** I heard that my wife intended to throw a surprise party for me *while I was outside her bedroom window*.
- **\[RIGHT\]** *While I was outside her bedroom window*, I heard that my wife intended to throw a surprise party for me.
- **\[WRONG\]** *After the wedding*, Ian told us at his stag party that he would start behaving responsibly.
- **\[RIGHT\]** Ian told us at his stag party that he would start behaving responsibly *after the wedding*.

## Squinting modifiers

A <a id="squintingmodifier">squinting modifier</a> is an ambiguously placed modifier that can modify either the word before it or the word after it. In other words, it is *squinting* in both directions at the same time:

- **\[WRONG\]** Defining your terms *clearly* strengthens your argument. (does defining *clearly strengthen* or does *defining clearly* strengthen?)
- **\[RIGHT\]** Defining your terms *will clearly* strengthen your argument. **OR** *A clear definition* of your terms strengthens your argument.

## Split infinitives

The [infinitive](forming-and-using-verb-tenses) form of the [verb](what-is-a-verb#whatisverb) consists of the preposition *to* followed by the base form of the verb: *to be*, *to serve*, *to chop*, etc. Inserting a word or words between *to* and the verb of an infinitive creates what is known as a <a id="splitinfinitive">split infinitive</a>. Prescriptive grammarians once decreed that a split infinitive was an error, but now it is growing increasingly acceptable even in formal writing. Nevertheless, some careful writers still prefer to avoid splitting infinitives altogether.

In general, avoid placing long, disruptive modifiers between *to* and the verb of an infinitive.

- **\[WRONG\]** The marketing team voted to, *before they launched the new software*, run an anticipatory ad campaign. (the infinitive *to run* should not be split)
- **\[RIGHT\]** The marketing team voted to run an anticipatory ad campaign *before they launched the new software*.

However, use your judgement when it comes to single-word modifiers. Sometimes a sentence becomes awkward if a single-word modifier is placed anywhere but between the elements of the infinitive.

## Dangling modifiers

The <a id="danglingmodifier">dangling modifier</a>, a persistent and frequent grammatical problem in writing, is often (though not always) found at the beginning of a sentence. A dangling modifier is usually a phrase or an <a id="ellipticalclause">elliptical clause</a>—a [dependent clause](using-clauses-as-nouns-adjectives-and-adverbs#dependentclauses) whose [subject](subject-and-predicate#subject) and verb are implied rather than expressed—that functions as an [adjective](what-is-an-adjective#adjective) but does not modify any specific word in the sentence, or (worse) modifies the wrong word. Consider the following example:

- *Raised in Nova Scotia*, it is natural to miss the smell of the sea.

The introductory phrase in the above sentence looks as if it is meant to modify a person or persons, but no one is mentioned in the sentence. Such introductory [adjective phrases](the-function-of-phrases#adjectivephrase), because of their position, automatically modify the first [noun](what-is-a-noun#noun) or [pronoun](what-is-a-pronoun#whatispronoun) that follows the phrase. In this case, the connection is illogical because *it* was not raised in Nova Scotia. You could revise the sentence in a number of ways:

- *For a person raised in Nova Scotia*, it is natural to miss the smell of the sea. (the phrase no longer functions as an adjective)
- Raised in Nova Scotia, *I* often miss the smell of the sea. (the phrase functions as an adjective but now automatically modifies the pronoun *I*, a logical connection)

A dangling modifier can also appear when an elliptical clause is placed improperly:

- *Although nearly finished*, we left the play early because we were worried about our sick cat.

In this sentence, the clause *although nearly finished* illogically modifies *we*, the pronoun directly following the clause. You can rectify the problem by reinserting the subject and verb that are understood in the elliptical clause:

- Although *the play* was nearly finished, we left early because we were worried about our sick cat.

##  Avis de droit d’auteur pour l’outil HyperGrammar 2

© Département d’anglais, Faculté des arts, Université d’Ottawa
Un outil mis en ligne par le Bureau de la traduction, Services publics et Approvisionnement Canada

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## Liens connexes

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