Modifiers in Grammar
1
2
_I_hit_him_in_the_eye_yesterday
Insert the word
only
in any of the eight positions to get eight
different meanings
3
“In addition to being ugly and inappropriate, the
students often make grammatical errors on their signs.”
A Grammar Tutorial
by Nancy Schrock
4
Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers
Topics for Today’s Discussion
5
Definition of a modifier
Types of modifiers
Examples of misplaced and dangling modifiers
Correcting the problem
Exercises and a confession
Conclusions
Modifier
6
What is a modifier?
An expression that limits or describes another word or phrase
Words, phrases, or subordinate clauses
Example:
Little
boats (little describes boats)
Types of Modifiers
7
•
Adjectives
- modify nouns or pronouns
–
Little
boats
stay close to shore.
•
Adverbs
- modify verbs, adjectives or other adverbs
–
Little boats
sail
slowly
. (adverb)
•
Participial
phrases
- function as adjectives and are participles (verbs ending
in
-ing
) plus other words
–
Having no GPS
, our boat stays close to shore.
•
Prepositional
phrases
- function as adjectives or adverbs, preposition +
noun or noun equivalent
–
With only one sail
, our boat stays close to shore.
•
Infinitive
phrases-
as modifiers can function as adjectives or adverbs
–
To avoid risk
, we sail our boat close to shore.
•
Subordinate
clauses
- as modifiers they contain a subject + verb but
function as adjectives or adverbs
–
Little boats
that stay close to shore
avoid taking risks.
Not usually a problem
Can be problematic
Misplaced or Dangling Modifiers
8
Misplaced modifiers
are
not near
the word they modify
Example: If you stay close to the shore
for little boats
, the risk of sinking is reduced.
(
For little boats
is close to
shore
and seems to be modifying
shore
.)
Improved: If you stay close to the shore, the risk of sinking for little boats is reduced.
Dangling modifier
is one where the
word modified
is not explicit
Example:
By staying close to shore
, the risk of sinking is reduced. (The word
modified,
boat
, is not in the sentence.)
Improved: By staying close to shore, little boats reduce the risk of sinking.
Delayed subject
--
it
or
there
is nearest the modifier but is not the
word modified
Example:
By staying close to shore
,
it
is possible for little
boats
to reduce the risk of
sinking. (
It
delays the appearance of the subject, boats, and reduces the clarity of the
meaning.)
Improved: By staying close to shore, little boats reduce the risk of sinking.
More Misplaced Modifiers
9
Squinting modifiers
A modifier
caught between two words
, either of which might be
the
modified word
Example: Little boats
sailing
quickly
found
tar close to shore (Did
the boats sail quickly or quickly find tar?)
Improved: When the little boats sailed near to shore, they quickly
found tar.
Split infinitives (to + verb)
A
modifier
placed between
to
and the
verb
Example:
…
to
carefully
stay
close to shore….
Improved: …to stay carefully close to shore….
How to Correct Misplaced and Dangling
Modifiers
10
The modifier should be positioned to give the correct
meaning - usually
near the word modified
Make the
word modified obvious
and not hidden or
ambiguous
Don’t split infinitives
Recognize that modifiers can be misplaced or dangling
and consult a guide when in doubt
Exercises
11
BP was
sure
by August
the oil
would be stopped
. (squinting modifier --
Was BP sure by August or would the oil be stopped by August?)
BP was sure the oil
would be stopped
by August
.
Remembering that one can tell a cracked vessel by its sound
, Tony
Hayward stated to the press that he wanted his life back. (dangling
modifier -- It was not Tony who remembered this expression.)
Remembering that one can tell a cracked vessel by its sound
,
I
watched Tony Hayward state to the press that he wanted his life back.
Exercises
12
Throwing pearls to swine
, it was clear BP executives would
not take the
scientists’
advice. (delayed subject)
Throwing pearls to swine,
the
scientists
gave BP executives
advice that they would not take.
At the risk of being insensitive
, he will get another date with
me
when hell freezes over. (misplaced modifier -- The
speaker or writer is the one at risk of being insensitive.)
At the risk of being insensitive
,
I
told him I would date him
again when hell freezes over.
Exercises
13
In
The Scarlet Letter
, Hester Prynne had
to
publicly
wear
the red letter “A” to
mark her as an adulterer. (split infinitive)
In
The Scarlet Letter
, Hester Prynne had
to wear
publicly
the red letter “A” to
mark her as an adulterer.
When her performance did not improve,
Penny worked with Kelly Services
to have the contractor replaced. (It was not Penny’s performance that was a
problem.)
When the
contractor’s
performance did not improve, Penny worked with
Kelly Services to have the contractor replaced. (added
whose
performance
to the subordinate clause)
Conclusion
14
Ensure
clarity
of meaning with modifiers
Locate the modifier
near the word modified
Make the word modified
obvious
and not ambiguous
Seek assistance from references when in doubt!
References:
From the Writing Lab website:
http://uwf.edu/writelab/advice/documents/wa-
onjobgram8.htm
A Writer’s Reference
, Diana Hacker
The Random House Handbook
Explore the world of modifiers in grammar through this informative content. Learn about different types of modifiers, examples of misplaced and dangling modifiers, and how to correct common grammatical errors. Enhance your understanding of how modifiers can enhance or change the meaning of a sentence.
Download Presentation
Please find below an Image/Link to download the presentation.
The content on the website is provided AS IS for your information and personal use only. It may not be sold, licensed, or shared on other websites without obtaining consent from the author.If you encounter any issues during the download, it is possible that the publisher has removed the file from their server.
You are allowed to download the files provided on this website for personal or commercial use, subject to the condition that they are used lawfully. All files are the property of their respective owners.
The content on the website is provided AS IS for your information and personal use only. It may not be sold, licensed, or shared on other websites without obtaining consent from the author.
E N D
Presentation Transcript
_I_hit_him_in_the_eye_yesterday Insert the word only in any of the eight positions to get eight different meanings 2
In addition to being ugly and inappropriate, the students often make grammatical errors on their signs. 3
Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers A Grammar Tutorial by Nancy Schrock 4
Topics for Todays Discussion Definition of a modifier Types of modifiers Examples of misplaced and dangling modifiers Correcting the problem Exercises and a confession Conclusions 5
Modifier What is a modifier? An expression that limits or describes another word or phrase Words, phrases, or subordinate clauses Example: Little boats (little describes boats) 6
Types of Modifiers Adjectives - modify nouns or pronouns Little boats stay close to shore. Adverbs - modify verbs, adjectives or other adverbs Little boats sail slowly. (adverb) Participial phrases - function as adjectives and are participles (verbs ending in -ing) plus other words Having no GPS, our boat stays close to shore. Prepositional phrases - function as adjectives or adverbs, preposition + noun or noun equivalent With only one sail, our boat stays close to shore. Infinitive phrases- as modifiers can function as adjectives or adverbs To avoid risk, we sail our boat close to shore. Subordinate clauses - as modifiers they contain a subject + verb but function as adjectives or adverbs Little boats that stay close to shore avoid taking risks. Not usually a problem Can be problematic 7
Misplaced or Dangling Modifiers Misplaced modifiers are not near the word they modify Example: If you stay close to the shore for little boats, the risk of sinking is reduced. (For little boats is close to shore and seems to be modifying shore.) Improved: If you stay close to the shore, the risk of sinking for little boats is reduced. Dangling modifier is one where the word modified is not explicit Example: By staying close to shore, the risk of sinking is reduced. (The word modified, boat, is not in the sentence.) Improved: By staying close to shore, little boats reduce the risk of sinking. Delayed subject -- it or there is nearest the modifier but is not the word modified Example: By staying close to shore,it is possible for little boats to reduce the risk of sinking. (It delays the appearance of the subject, boats, and reduces the clarity of the meaning.) Improved: By staying close to shore, little boats reduce the risk of sinking. 8
More Misplaced Modifiers Squinting modifiers A modifier caught between two words, either of which might be the modified word Example: Little boats sailing quickly found tar close to shore (Did the boats sail quickly or quickly find tar?) Improved: When the little boats sailed near to shore, they quickly found tar. Split infinitives (to + verb) A modifier placed between to and the verb Example: to carefully stayclose to shore . Improved: to stay carefully close to shore . 9
How to Correct Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers The modifier should be positioned to give the correct meaning - usually near the word modified Make the word modified obvious and not hidden or ambiguous Don t split infinitives Recognize that modifiers can be misplaced or dangling and consult a guide when in doubt 10
Exercises BP was sure by August the oil would be stopped. (squinting modifier -- Was BP sure by August or would the oil be stopped by August?) BP was sure the oil would be stopped by August. Remembering that one can tell a cracked vessel by its sound, Tony Hayward stated to the press that he wanted his life back. (dangling modifier -- It was not Tony who remembered this expression.) Remembering that one can tell a cracked vessel by its sound, I watched Tony Hayward state to the press that he wanted his life back. 11
Exercises Throwing pearls to swine, it was clear BP executives would not take the scientists advice. (delayed subject) Throwing pearls to swine, the scientists gave BP executives advice that they would not take. At the risk of being insensitive, he will get another date with me when hell freezes over. (misplaced modifier -- The speaker or writer is the one at risk of being insensitive.) At the risk of being insensitive, I told him I would date him again when hell freezes over. 12
Exercises In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne had to publicly wear the red letter A to mark her as an adulterer. (split infinitive) In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne had to wear publicly the red letter A to mark her as an adulterer. When her performance did not improve, Penny worked with Kelly Services to have the contractor replaced. (It was not Penny s performance that was a problem.) When the contractor s performance did not improve, Penny worked with Kelly Services to have the contractor replaced. (added whose performance to the subordinate clause) 13
Conclusion Ensure clarity of meaning with modifiers Locate the modifier near the word modified Make the word modified obvious and not ambiguous Seek assistance from references when in doubt! References: From the Writing Lab website: http://uwf.edu/writelab/advice/documents/wa- onjobgram8.htm A Writer s Reference, Diana Hacker The Random House Handbook 14
