When you Die

[elakh]

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When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling.

Live your life so that When you Die, you're the one who is smiling and

everyone around you is crying

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[hepou11]

DANGLING MODIFIERS
Definition: A modifier describes, clarifies, or gives more detail about a concept.
A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that modifies a word not clearly stated in the sentence.
Consider this sentence:
Having finished the assignment, Jill turned on the TV.
“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.
Now consider this sentence:
Having finished the assignment, the TV was turned on.
As above, “Having finished” states an action and the subject of the main clause that follows is TV. 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 is not expressed in the introductory clause (Having finished the assignment), the phrase is said to be a dangling modifier.
Characteristics of dangling modifiers: They often have an -ing word (gerund) or a to+verb (infinitive) phrase near the start of the sentence.
They most frequently occur at the beginning of sentences (often as introductory clauses or phrases) but can also appear at the end.
Examples of dangling modifiers and revisions:
dangling modifier:
After reading the original study, the article remains unconvincing.
(The article--the subject of the main clause--did not read the original study.)
possible revisions:
After reading the original study, I find the article unconvincing.
-or-
The article remains unconvincing in light of the original study. (no modifying phrase)
dangling modifier:
Relieved of your responsibilities at work, your home should be a place to relax.
(Your home--the subject of the main clause--is not relieved of your responsibilities.)
possible revision:
Relieved of your responsibilities at work, you should be able to relax at home.
Office of Academic Services
dangling modifier at end of sentence:
The experiment was a failure, not having studied the lab manual carefully.
(The experiment--the subject of the main clause--is not supposed to study the lab manual.)
possible revision:
The students failed the experiment, not having studied the lab manual carefully.
Strategies for revising dangling modifiers:
1. Name the appropriate or logical doer of the action as the subject of the main clause:
dangling modifier: Having arrived late for practice, a written excuse was needed.
Who arrived late? This sentence says that the written excuse arrived late. To revise, decide who actually arrived late.
Example: Having arrived late for practice, Joe Doer needed a written excuseed.
2. Change the phrase that dangles into a complete introductory clause by naming the doer of the action in that clause:
dangling modifier: Without knowing his name, it was difficult to introduce him.
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.
Example: Since Sally Doer didn’t know his name, it was difficult to introduce him.
3. Combine the phrase and main clause into one:
dangling modifier: To improve his results, the experiment was done again.
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.
Example: The experiment was done again to improve his results.
Squinting modifiers:
Related to dangling modifiers, squinting modifiers occur when the word modified is not clear or could have more than one meaning. These problems can usually be solved by rearranging the elements already present in the sentence.
squinting modifier:
The student I studied with occasionally asked me to cheat.
possible revisions:
The student I occasionally studied with asked me to cheat.
The student I studied with asked me occasionally to cheat.

[hepou11]

Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers
A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that describes something in a sentence. You need
to word it correctly, or place it correctly (usually next to the word it modifies) to avoid
confusion.
►A dangling modifier is one that does not name a specific actor; this leads the reader to
assume that the modifying word or phrase refers to the subject of the sentence. Dangling
modifiers can occur when a writer begins the sentence with a modifier that contains a
participle (eating, published), or an infinitive (to be).
Confusing: While eating my lunch, a bee stung me.
Clear: While I was eating my lunch, a bee stung me.
The first sentence suggests that the bee not only stung me, it ate my lunch as well.
Confusing: Published in the paper, the man believed the story.
Clear: The man believed the story that was published in the paper.
The first sentence suggests that the man was published in the paper.
Confusing: To be a successful student, good study habits need to be
developed.
Clear: If you want to be a successful student, you need to develop
good study habits.
The first sentence suggests that good study habits themselves, if developed, can
be a successful student.
►Misplaced modifiers are words, phrases, or clauses whose position in the sentence
causes the reader to misinterpret the intended meaning.
Confusing: I have only eaten one egg in my entire life.
Clear: I have eaten only one egg in my entire life.
The first sentence suggests that all I have ever eaten is one egg. The second
sentence suggests that I have eaten no more than one egg in my lifetime.
Confusing: The dog jumped the obstacle with its tail wagging.
Clear: The dog, with its tail wagging, jumped the obstacle.
The first sentence suggests that the obstacle has a wagging tail.
Confusing: She put the hat on her head that she bought in Toronto.
Clear: She put the hat, which she bought in Toronto, on her head.
The first sentence suggests that she bought her head in Toronto.
Practice Exercise
Rewrite the following sentences to eliminate dangling or misplaced modifiers. (Keep in
mind that there is more than one correct way to re-write these sentences.)
1. The dog ate the food with the brown fur.
2. The woman driving the car wearing a bikini sped through town.
3. Opening the door, the fresh breeze tousled her hair.
4. If the hamster won’t eat its food, feed it to the kitty.
5. All that glitters is not gold.
6. When completely empty, the technician should refill the beaker.
7. Adjusting his cowboy hat, the city slicker faced the cowboy.
8. Tightening his red tie, the microphone was approached by the announcer.
9. Walking along the street, the fallen leaves were kicked up by the little boy.
10. The book was on the table which she had read the day before.
Answers
1. The dog with the brown fur ate the food.
2. The woman, who was wearing a bikini, sped through town in her car.
3. The fresh breeze tousled her hair when she opened the door.
4. If the hamster won’t eat its food, give the food to the kitty.
5. Not all that glitters is gold.
6. When the beaker is completely empty, the technician should refill it.
7. The city slicker faced the cowboy who was adjusting his cowboy hat.
8. The announcer tightened his red tie and approached the microphone.
9. The little boy kicked up fallen leaves as he walked along the street.
10. The book, which she had read the day before, was on the table.