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Brought to you by the Purdue University Online Writing
Lab.
Graphics for this handout were produced by Michelle
Hansard.
A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that modifies a word not clearly stated in the sentence. A modifier describes, clarifies, or gives more detail about a concept.
"Having finished" states an action but does not name the doer of that action. In English sentences, the doer must be the subject of the main clause that follows. In this sentence, it is Jill. She seems logically to be the one doing the action ("having finished"), and this sentence therefore does not have a dangling modifier.
Having finished is a participle expressing action, but the doer is not the TV set (the subject of the main clause): TV sets don't finish assignments. Since the doer of the action expressed in the participle has not been clearly stated, the participial phrase is said to be a dangling modifier.
(The article--the subject of the main clause--did not read the original study.)
-or- The article remains unconvincing in light of the original study. (no modifying phrase)
(Your home--the subject of the main clause--is not relieved of your responsibilities.)
They most frequently occur at the beginning of sentences (often as introductory clauses or phrases) but can also appear at the end.
(The experiment--the subject of the main clause--is not supposed to study the lab manual.)
They often have an -ing word (gerund) or a to+verb (infinitive) phrase near the start of the sentence.
Related to dangling modifiers, squinting modifiers occur when the word modified is not clear or could be more than one word. These problems can usually be solved by rearranging the elements already present in the sentence.
1. Name the appropriate or logical doer of the action as the subject of the main clause:
| dangling modifier: |
Who arrived late? This sentence says that the written excuse arrived late. To revise, decide who actually arrived late. |
| possible revision: |
The main clause now names the person (the captain) who did the action in the modifying phrase (arrived late). |
2. Change the phrase that dangles into a complete introductory clause by naming the doer of the action in that clause:
| dangling modifier: |
Who didn't know his name? This sentence says that "it" didn't know his name. To revise, decide who was trying to introduce him. |
| possible revision: |
Because Maria did not know his name, it was difficult to introduce him. The phrase is now a complete introductory clause; it does not modify any other part of the sentence, so is not considered "dangling." |
3. Combine the phrase and main clause into one:
| dangling modifier: |
Who wanted to improve results? This sentence says that the experiment was trying to improve its own results. To revise, combine the phrase and the main clause into one sentence. |
| possible revision: |
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