misplaced modifiers and you

Misplaced Modifiers and You

What they are and why you should avoid them!

What is “fishy” about these?

Abraham Lincoln wrote the Gettysburg Address while traveling from Washington on the back of an envelope.

The only hotel with tennis courts, a health club and TV in every room.

Tombstone: Erected in the memory of John MacFarlane, drowned in the water of Leith by a few affectionate friends.

Modifiers

Any word that further develops another word.

Could be AdjectiveAdverbAdjective phraseAdverbial phrase

Lesson in Short

If you choose to add material to modify something else, you MUST place that modifying information close to that which is modified.

Or…

You risk a lack of clarity, unintended humor, or unintended meaning.

Examples of Misplaced Modifiers

John hit the cat with the broom.Did he use the broom to hit the cat?Did the cat that he hit have a broom in its hand?

You should just avoid confusing readers with misplaced modifiers.

Confusing readers by using misplaced modifiers?Confusing those readers that are holding misplaced modifiers?

Misplaced – Clarity Suffers!

He noticed a large stain in the rug that was right in the center.

Rug in the center?Stain in the center of the rug?

You can call your mother in London and tell her all about George’s taking you out to dinner for just sixty cents.

The call costs 60 cents?Dinner cost 60 cents?

Others

Coming in for a landing, ground control radioed to the helicopter.

Smashed beyond repair, Larry saw his tennis racket lying on the court.

Flying over the countryside, the houses looked like toys.

Strategies for Revising Misplaced Modifiers

Place modifying words carefully: words such as only, nearly, rarely, just, simply, occasionally, and hardly, should always come immediately before the words they modify, or confusion results.

Anyone who golfs occasionally makes a hole-in-one.

[revision] Every occasional golfer makes a hole-in-one. [revision] Every golfer occasionally makes a hole-in-one.

Strategies for Revising Misplaced Modifiers

The hostess just nodded to her as she entered.

[revision] The hostess nodded only to her as she entered.

[revision] The hostess only nodded as she entered.

Place misplaced phrases in their correct position

The duke pointed out the portrait of his last duchess to the guests mounted on the wall.

[revision] The duke pointed out to his guests the portrait, mounted on the wall, of his last duchess.

Place misplaced dependent clauses in their correct position

Mike Millikin knew that the investment would pay huge dividends before he decided to buy the stock.

[revision] Before he decided to buy the stock, Mike Millikin knew the investment would pay huge dividends.

The learned scholar taught a course last semester in sexual harassment at Emory University.

[revision] Last semester at Emory University, the learned scholar taught a course on sexual harassment. [revision] Last semester, the learned scholar taught a course "Sexual Harrassment at Emory University."

The sexual abstinence program will reduce the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases which will benefit everyone.

[revision] The sexual abstinence program, which will benefit everyone, will reduce the incidence of sexually transmitted diseased.

Practicamos!

Please rewrite the following sentences as sentences that express what the author probably meant rather than as sentences that don’t make much sense!

1) New York’s first commercial human-sperm bank opened Friday with samples from 18 men frozen in a stainless steel tank.

2) They bought a puppy for my sister they call Fido.

3)The patient was referred to a psychologist with several emotional problems.

4) Sam found a letter in the mailbox that doesn't belong to her.

5) Two cars were reported stolen by the Farmingdale police yesterday.

6) Please take time to look over the brochure that is enclosed with your family.