Dangling modifiers can trip you up in two ways:
They trip up the meaning of the sentence.
They can be hard to spot, tripping you up as to whether you have a dangler or not.
So let’s learn what they are and how to spot and fix them.
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Definitions to know
Before we can dive into what a dangling modifier is, let’s review two terms:
Modifier: a word, clause, or phrase that describes or gives more detail about a concept
Subject of modifier: the noun being described by the modifier
*I asked AI to give me example sentences using adjective-, adverb-, phrase-, and clause-type modifiers.
Sentence Modifier Subject The meticulous editor carefully reviewed the manuscript. meticulous (adjective) editor The author quickly responded to the editor’s feedback. quickly (adverb) author The manuscript on the desk belongs to the client. on the desk (prepositional phrase) manuscript Glancing at the deadline, the editor worked faster. Glancing at the deadline (participial phrase) editor She paused to clarify the sentence structure. to clarify the sentence structure (infinitive phrase) she The course, a comprehensive guide to freelancing, is launching next month. a comprehensive guide to freelancing (appositive) course The book that she edited became a bestseller. that she edited (relative clause) book
What Is It?
A dangling modifier is a grammatical error that can result in accidental humor or nonsensical situations.
It happens when the subject of the modifier is missing from the sentence. This is different from a misplaced modifier, which is discussed in this blog.
Dangling modifier examples:
While reading the newspaper, the cat jumped on the table.
→“The cat” is not the subject of the modifier “reading the newspaper”—unless it’s a genius cat. The subject of the modifier is not even in the sentence.
Walking into the room, the smell was overpowering.
→ “The smell” did not walk into the room. The subject isn’t in the sentence.
One could argue that logically the subject of the modifier is clear. In the first example, it is the cat’s owner reading the newspaper. In the second sentence, it is whoever walked into the room.
However, even though logic means your reader will figure out the sentence, it is grammatically incorrect to not state the subject of the modifier.
Finding and Fixing Them
As mentioned, they can be tricky to spot, especially when the meaning of the sentence is so clear.
So pay attention to sentences that contain modifiers at the start, and see if what they are describing comes after them. If not, you can fix them in two ways:
Name the subject after the modifier
Put the subject into the modifier
While I read the newspaper, the cat jumped on the table (put subject in the modifier).
Walking into the room, I had to plug my nose to stave off the overwhelming smell (put the subject after the modifier).
Which sentences below contain dangling modifiers?
Glancing at the clock, she realized she had been working for hours.
Covered in sticky notes, the editor struggled to find her notes.
Running on little sleep, the editor struggled to focus.
After finishing the project, a well-deserved break was needed.
Hoping to get published, the query letter was sent to multiple agents.
To improve clarity, the sentence was rewritten.
Without knowing his name, it was difficult to introduce him.
With years of experience, the editor’s advice was invaluable.
Typing furiously, she finished the final chapter just in time.
After reading the original study, the article remains unconvincing.
While driving to work, a car accident made me late.
Fumbling in her purse, she couldn’t find her keys.
Dangling modifiers
Covered in sticky notes, the editor struggled to find her notes.
After finishing the project, a well-deserved break was needed.
Hoping to get published, the query letter was sent to multiple agents.
To improve clarity, the sentence was rewritten.
Without knowing his name, it was difficult to introduce him.
With years of experience, the editor’s advice was invaluable.
After reading the original study, the article remains unconvincing.
While driving to work, a car accident made me late.
Corrected sentences
With the desk covered in sticky notes, the editor struggled to find her notes.
After finishing the project, she needed a well-deserved break.
Hoping to get published, the author sent the query letter to multiple agents.
To improve clarity, the editor rewrote the sentence.
Without knowing his name, I had a hard time introducing him.
With years of experience, the editor gave valuable advice. (before it had editor’s advice as the subject)
After I read the original study, the article remained unconvincing.
While driving to work, Gary had to wait for a car accident to get cleaned up, making him late.
Conclusion
A dangling modifier is different from a misplaced one. With a dangling modifier, the subject of the modifier isn’t even in the sentence. It may be clear who the subject is, but grammatically, it needs to be stated.
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I’d love to hear from you. Comment below using any of these prompts to guide you:
What questions do you have?
What is the funniest dangling modifier you’ve seen in the wild?
Have you ever accidentally written a dangling modifier? What was it?
What is one thing you did professionally or personally today that you’re proud of?