Modifiers dangling

A dangling participle is a phrase or clause, using a verb ending in -ing that does not refer to the subject of the sentence it modifies. Since it is so critical that your reader understand your point easily and exactly, dangling modifiers (and indeed any ambiguous language) must be avoided. 

A misplaced modifier is a word or phrase that describes something, but is in the wrong place in the sentence. It isn t dangling no extra words are needed the modifier is just in the wrong place. The danger of misplaced modifiers, as with dangling modifiers, is that they confuse meaning. 

The best option will use words clearly. Watch for unclear modifying words or phrases such as the ones in the next group of sentences. Misplaced and dangling modifiers can be hard to spot because your brain tries to make sense of things as it reads. In the case of misplaced or dangling modifiers, you may make a logical connection that is not present in the words. 

A dangling modifier is one that lacks a word in the sentence to modify in a logical or sensible way. It should not be confused with an absolute construction, which modifies an entire sentence. (See also the discussion of dangling modifiers in Chapter 9.)... 

A dangling modifier is a modifying word or phrase that does not clearly and logically modify another word in the sentence. In scientific writing, the passive voice is often necessary ( the solutions were heated melting points were determined ), but its use can lead to dangling modifiers. 

If a modifier precedes the subject of a sentence, it must modify that subject and be separated from it by a comma. Otherwise, it is a dangling modifier. 

In some cases, the passive voice can be used to correct a dangling modifier. 

Absolute constructions are words, phrases, or clauses that are grammatically unconnected with the rest of the sentence in which they appear. They are sometimes called sentence modifiers because they qualify the rest of the sentence. They may occur anywhere in the sentence, and they are always set off by commas. They are not dangling modifiers. 

The technical writer should avoid dangling modifiers that cannot be associated directly with the words they modify. For example, the sentence Finding the results were inconclusive, the project was abandoned could be rewritten correctly as Finding the results were inconclusive, the investigators abandoned the project. ... 

Poor construction caused by dangling modifiers often arises from retention of the personal viewpoint, even though personal pronouns are eliminated. The writer should analyze the work carefully and make certain the association between a modifying phrase and the words referred to is clear. 

In some sentences, however, the object of the modifying phrase is missing entirely. Such a phrase is called a dangling modifier. Think of these phrases as poor orphans, waiting out in the cold, without a parent to accompany them. Most of these errors may be corrected by adding the missing parent —the word(s) described by the phrase. Here are some examples followed by their revisions ... 

Misplaced and dangling modifiers frequently occur when you think faster than you write a careful reading of your rough drafts will help you weed out any confused or unintentionally humorous sentences. For additional examples of misplaced and dangling modifiers, see page 491 in Part Four. 

A modifying—or descriptive—phrase must have a logical relationship to some specific words in the sentence. When those words are omitted, the phrase dangles without anything to modify. Dangling modifiers frequently occur at the beginnings of sentences and often may be corrected by adding the proper subjects to the main clauses. 

Dangling modifiers and illogical construction—check that a modifier phrase or the pronoun it actually refers to the intended subject (see also Subject-verb agreement). 

Subject-verb agreement—are you stating that an inanimate object is drawing a conclusion, or suggesting a strange cause and elfect (See also Dangling modifiers.) incorrect The IR spectrum implies that water is in the sample of Cr(phen)i+. 

In this example, the writer creates several problems. First, it appears that the water flow rate also has a temperature The order of the first two statements implies that the preposition of applies to both items. Writing water flow rate first would remove that problem and make it clear that the verb should be were. Were observed to give what That is, a dangling modifier (infinitive, see below) is next. Here s what must have been the original meaning ... 

And if attention is not paid, a dangling modifier can strain conunon sense ... 

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