Modifiers

1. Modifiers

2. Modifiers • A modifier is a word or word group that makes the meaning of another word or word group more specific. • -Having finished the assignment, Jill turned on the TV. • In the 1992 Olympics, Kristi Yamaguchi won a gold medal for figure skating.

3. Fixing Dangling Modifiers • Sometimes a modifier changes the meaning of the sentence in such a way as to make the sentence unclear or awkward: • Driving nonstop, Shalishan Lodge is two hours from Portland. • This sentence inadvertently suggests that Shalishan Lodge is the driver. We can revise it in the following ways: • Driving nonstop from Portland, you can reach Shalishan Lodge in two hours. • If you drive nonstop, Shalishan Lodge is two hours from Portland.

4. Fixing Dangling Modifiers • Bankrupt, the land was sold to a neighboring farmer. • Problem = The land cannot be bankrupt. • Bankrupt, the family sold the land to a neighboring farmer.

5. Fixing Dangling Modifiers • As a young boy, his aunt told stories of her years as a country doctor. • Problem = The aunt was never a young boy. • When he was a young boy, his aunt told stories of her years as a country doctor.

6. Fixing Dangling Modifiers • Thumbing through the magazine, my eyes automatically noticed the perfume ads. • Problem = Eyes cannot thumb through the magazine. • My eyes automatically noticed the perfume ads as I was thumbing through the magazine.

7. Fixing Dangling Modifiers • A rabbit’s teeth are never used for defense even when cornered. • Problem = Teeth cannot be cornered. • Even when cornered, a rabbit never uses its teeth for defense.

8. Things to Remember • Keep an eye out for modifiers and try to draw arrows connecting them to what they modify. • Keep modifiers close to the words or phrases they modify; chances are the further away they are, the more confusing it will be. • If you cannot find the word which the modifier refers to, revise the sentence.