31 Dangling Modifiers
Introductory Project
Because of dangling words, each of the sentences below has more than one possible meaning. In each case, see if you can explain the intended meaning and the unintended meaning.
1. While smoking a pipe, my dog sat with me by the crackling fire.
Intended meaning:
Unintended meaning:
2. Looking at the leather-skirted woman, his sports car went through a red light.
Intended meaning:
Unintended meaning:
3. After baking for several hours, Grandmother removed the beef pie from the oven.
Intended meaning:
Unintended meaning:
Answers are on page 728.
What Dangling Modifiers Are and How to Correct Them
A modifier that opens a sentence must be followed immediately by the word it is meant to describe. Otherwise, the modifier is said to be dangling, and the sentence takes on an unintended meaning. For example, in the sentence
While smoking a pipe, my dog sat with me by the crackling fire.
the unintended meaning is that the dog was smoking the pipe. What the writer meant, of course, was that he, the writer, was smoking the pipe. The dangling modifier could be corrected by placing I, the word being described, directly after the opening modifier and revising as necessary:
While smoking a pipe, I sat with my dog by the crackling fire.
The dangling modifier could also be corrected by placing the subject within the opening word group:
While I was smoking my pipe, my dog sat with me by the crackling fire.
Here are other sentences with dangling modifiers. Read the explanations of why they are dangling and look carefully at how they are corrected.
Dangling
Swimming at the lake, a rock cut Sue's foot.
(Who was swimming at the lake? The answer is not rock but Sue.The subject Sue must be added.)
While eating my sandwich, five mosquitoes bit me.
(Who is eating the sandwich? The answer is not five mosquitoes, as it unintentionally seems to be, but I. The subject I must be added.)
Getting out of bed, the tile floor was so cold that Yoko shivered all over.
(Who got out of bed? The answer is not tile floor but Yoko. The subject Yoko must be added.)
Correct
Swimming at the lake, Sue cut her foot on a rock.
Or: When Sue was swimming at the lake, she cut her foot on a rock.
While I was eating my sandwich, five mosquitoes bit me.
Or: While eating my sandwich, I was bitten by five mosquitoes.
Getting out of bed, Yoko found the tile floor so cold that she shivered all over.
Or: When Yoko got out of bed, the tile floor was so cold that she shivered all over.
Dangling
To join the team, a C average or better is necessary.
(Who is to join the team? The answer is not C average but you. The subject you must be added.)
Correct
To join the team, you must have a C average or better.
Or: For you to join the team, a C average or better is necessary.
The preceding examples make clear the two ways of correcting a dangling modifier. Decide on a logical subject and do one of the following:
1 Place the subject within the opening word group.
When Sue was swimming at the lake, she cut her foot on a rock.
Note: In some cases an appropriate subordinating word such as When must be added, and the verb may have to be changed slightly as well.
2 Place the subject right after the opening word group.
Swimming at the lake, Sue cut her foot on a rock.
Activity
Ask Who? as you look at the opening words in each sentence. The subject that answers the question should be nearby in the sentence. If it is not, provide the logical subject by using either method of correction described above.
Example While sleeping at the campsite, a Frisbee hit Derek on the head.
or
1. Watching the horror movie, goose bumps covered my spine.
2. After putting on a corduroy shirt, the room didn't seem as cold.
3. Flunking out of school, my parents demanded that I get a job.
4. Covered with food stains, my mother decided to wash the tablecloth.
5. Joining several college clubs, Antonio's social life became more active.
6. While visiting the Jungle Park Safari, a baboon scrambled onto the hood of their car.
7. Under attack by beetles, Charlotte sprayed her roses with insecticide.
8. Standing at the ocean's edge, the wind coated my glasses with a salty film.
9. Braking the car suddenly, my shopping bags tumbled off the seat.
10. Using binoculars, the hawk was clearly seen following its prey.
Review Test
Write D for dangling or C for correct in the blank next to each sentence. Remember that the opening words are a dangling modifier if they have no nearby logical subject to modify.
__________ 1. Advertising in the paper, Ian's car was quickly sold.
__________ 2. By advertising in the paper, Ian quickly sold his car.
__________ 3. After painting the downstairs, the house needed airing to clear out the fumes.
__________ 4. After we painted the downstairs, the house needed airing to clear out the fumes.
__________ 5. Frustrated by piles of homework, Wanda was tempted to watch television.
__________ 6. Frustrated by piles of homework, Wanda's temptation was to watch television.
__________ 7. After I waited patiently in the bank line, the teller told me I had filled out the wrong form.
__________ 8. After waiting patiently in the bank line, the teller told me I had filled out the wrong form.
__________ 9. When dieting, desserts are especially tempting.
__________ 10. When dieting, I find desserts especially tempting.
__________ 11. Looking through the telescope, I saw a brightly lit object come into view.
__________ 12. As I was looking through the telescope, a brightly lit object came into view.
__________ 13. Looking through the telescope, a brightly lit object came into my view.
__________ 14. Tossed carelessly over the arm of a chair, Mildred saw her new raincoat slide onto the floor.
__________ 15. Mildred saw her new raincoat, which had been tossed carelessly over the arm of a chair, slide onto the floor.
Run-Ons
She climbs telephone poles in all kinds of weather.
for the heel of one of her shoes had come off.
; however,
Because
but
^
Because my eyes have been watering all day, I can tell the pollen count is high.
Standard English Verbs
wants ----
failed ---
is -- -----
begins
#
shouted shouted
Irregular Verbs
#
drew ------
gives
gave
given
I grew eight inches in one year.
Pronoun Agreement and Reference
#
Until the cat bit the hamster, the two were friends.
Adjectives and Adverbs
#
worst
more wonderful
The suburbs had nearly five inches of rain.
Driving across the bridge, we could see the football stadium.
Dangling Modifiers
#
While Derek was sleeping at the campsite, a Frisbee hit him on the head.
While sleeping at the campsite, Derek was hit on the head by a Frisb