TECHNICAL WRITING
DANGLING, MISPLACED, AND SQUINTING MODIFIER
What is modifier?
¡ Modifier is a word, phrase or clause that gives clear description to the
specific subject within the sentence.
Types of Modifier
1. Dangling Modifier
2. Misplaced Modifier
3. Squinting Modifier
DANGLING, MISPLACED, AND SQUINTING MODIFIER
“Running to the bus, the backpack fell in the mud.”
DANGLING MODIFIER
This type of modifier has no subject and therefore gives an ambiguous meaning to
the sentence constructions. It can be a word , a phrase, or a clause that does not
actually modify the word that is intended to modify.
Types of Dangling Modifier
A. Present Participle or Present Participle Phrase
B. Past Participle or Past Participle Phrase
C. Perfect Participle
D. Adjective Phrase
E. Infinitive Phrase
PRESENT PARTICIPLE/ PARTICIPLE PHRASE
This type of modifier contains –ing form of the verb at the beginning of the
sentence.
Examples:
Dangling: Wanting to finish the assignment, the noise was so irritating.
Revised: Wanting to finish the assignment, my brother found the noise so
irritating.
Dangling: Hurdling all the struggles along the way, success is achieved.
Revised: Hurdling all the struggles along the way, John achieved success.
PRESENT PARTICIPLE/ PARTICIPLE PHRASE
¡ Dangling: Walking down the road, a carabao manure was seen.
¡ Revised: Walking down the road, I saw a carabao manure.
PAST PARTICIPLE/PAST PARTICIPLE PHRASE
¡ This type of modifier ends in “ed or d” to the base
¡ form of the regular verbs.
Examples:
talk---talked bake---baked fry---fried
¡ Irregular verbs have their own forms for the past participle.
Examples:
write---written send--- sent ring--- rung
PAST PARTICIPLE/PAST PARTICIPLE PHRASE
¡ Dangling: Tried of all the possible solutions, the problems were solved.
¡ Revised: Tried of all the possible solutions, we solved the problems.
¡ Dangling: Frightened by the loud noise, the door was shut quickly.
¡ Revised: Frightened by the loud noise, the child shut the door quickly.
PAST PARTICIPLE/PAST PARTICIPLE PHRASE
¡ Dangling: Written in a bond paper, the excuse letter was given to the class
adviser.
¡ Revised: The student gave the excuse letter written in a bond paper to the
class adviser.
¡ Dangling: Lost in the forest, the search party looked for hours.
¡ Revised: Lost in the forest, the hikers looked for the search party for
hours.
PERFECT PARTICIPLE
¡ This type of modifier is a grammatical phrase constructed by having + past
participle.
Dangling: Having gone to the wrong direction, the police was approached.
Revised: Having gone to the wrong direction, I approached a police officer.
Dangling: Having eaten the pizza, the movie was more enjoyable.
Revised: Having eaten the pizza, we found the movie more enjoyable.
PERFECT PARTICIPLE
Dangling: Having completed the report, the meeting was scheduled for tomorrow.
Revised: Having completed the report, the manager scheduled the meeting for
tomorrow.
Dangling: Having practiced for weeks, the performance was a success.
Revised: Having practiced for weeks, the dancers delivered a successful
performance.
ADJECTIVE PHRASE
¡ This type of modifier is a group of words that describes the noun it modifies.
Dangling: Rich and spoiled, a very expensive wristwatch is worn.
Revised: Rich and spoiled, she wears a very expensive wristwatch.
Dangling: Angry at the delay, the meeting was canceled.
Revised: Angry at the delay, the manager canceled the meeting.
ADJECTIVE PHRASE
Dangling: Excited about the trip, the tickets were booked quickly.
Revised: Excited about the trip, the students booked the tickets quickly.
Dangling: Tired and frustrated, the decision was postponed.
Revised: Tired and frustrated, the committee postponed the decision.
INFINITIVE PHRASE
This modifier consists of “to” + “base form of the verb.
Dangling: To watch the concert, two tickets were asked from the person in- charge.
Revised: To watch the concert, we asked two tickets from the person in-charge.
Dangling: To earn a promotion, hard work is required.
Revised: To earn a promotion, you need to work hard.
INFINITIVE PHRASE
Dangling: To improve the project, better communication was needed.
Misplaced: To improve the project, the team needed better communication.
Dangling: To win the game, more practice was necessary.
Misplaced: To win the game, the players needed more practice.
STRATEGIES TO FIX DANGLING MODIFIERS
¡ There are two strategies to fix a dangling modifier. The first is to name
the actor or agent as the subject of the sentence.
¡ Example: Walking toward the forest, the sun began to set. (In this
example, “walking toward the forest” is a dangling modifier since it
sounds as if the sun is walking toward the forest.)
¡ Revision: Walking toward the forest, I watched as the sun began to set.
(The actor, I, is named as the subject of the sentence.)
STRATEGIES TO FIX DANGLING MODIFIERS
¡ The second strategy to fix a dangling modifier is to name the actor or
agent in the modifier itself.
¡ Example: Walking toward the forest, the sun began to set.
¡ Revision: As I walked toward the forest, the sun began to set. (The actor, I,
is added to the modifier.)
MISPLACED MODIFIER
This type of modifier has subject or doer of the action, but it is not placed near
the word it modifies.
Types of Misplaced Modifier
Misplaced Adjective/s
It is separated from the noun it modifies.
Examples:
Misplaced: My friend likes a spicy dish of minced pork.
Revised: My friend likes a dish of spicy minced pork.
MISPLACED MODIFIER
Misplaced: She bought a car almost new.
Revised: She bought an almost new car.
Misplaced: The man gave a bag to the woman full of groceries.
Revised: The man gave the woman a bag full of groceries.
MISPLACED MODIFIER
Misplaced: The air conditioner much made the office colder.
Revised: The air conditioner made the office much colder.
Misplaced: The cat chased the mouse with black fur.
Revised: The cat with black fur chased the mouse.
MISPLACED MODIFIER
Positions of Adverbs change the meaning of the sentence.
The given examples below are all correct, and these will give you ideas on
where to place adverb in a sentence based on the intended meaning the
writer wants to express. The underlined word is the adverb in the
sentence.
Examples:
a. Just Roel was picked to join the “ Farm Tools Contest”.
Meaning: Just means only Roel was picked no one else.
MISPLACED MODIFIER
b. Roel was just picked to join the “Farm Tools Contest.”
Meaning: Just means Roel was picked now .
C. Roel was picked to join just the “ Farm Tools Contest”.
Meaning: Just means that Roel joined the ‘Farm Tools Contest”, nothing else.
MISPLACED PHRASES
¡ It identifies the wrong noun within the sentence. To correct the sentence, put
the phrase near the noun that is supposed to modify.
Examples:
Misplaced: The man delivered the bag to the buyer with fur pendant.
Revised: The man delivered the bag with fur pendant to the buyer.
Misplaced: The cat was waiting for the food in the kitchen that was on the
counter.
Revised: In the kitchen, the cat was waiting for the food that was on the corner.
MISPLACED PHRASES
Misplaced: She served the cake to the guests on the porch that she had baked.
Revised: She served the cake that she had baked to the guests on the porch.
Misplaced: The manager spoke to the employees about the new policy during the
meeting held yesterday.
Revised: During the meeting held yesterday, the manager spoke to the employees
about the new policy.
SQUINTING MODIFIER
This type of modifier confuses the meaning of the statement, and that it
appears to modify the words that come before and after it. It is also
considered as misplaced modifier because it conveys two possible meanings.
Examples:
Squinting: She can only lend me her small leather bag.
Meanings: She has only small leather bag to lend.
She can only lend it to me, and not to anybody else.
SQUINTING MODIFIER
Squinting: Publishing articles often made him feel proud.
Unclear meanings: Did he publish articles often or did the action often make him
feel proud?
Correct: Publishing articles made her feel proud often.
Clear meaning: He feels proud often whenever he publishes articles.
SQUINTING MODIFIER
Squinting:The chef who prepares meals quickly is highly recommended.
Unclear meanings: The modifier “quickly” could describe either the act of
preparing meals or the chef.
Revised: The chef who quickly prepares meals is highly recommended.
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