Dangling Modifiers Exercises

A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that clarifies or describes another word, phrase, or
clause. Sometimes writers use modifiers incorrectly, leading to strange and unintentionally
humorous sentences. The two common types of modifier errors are called misplaced modifiers
and dangling modifiers. If either of these errors occurs, readers can no longer read smoothly.
Instead, they become stumped trying to figure out what the writer meant to say. A writer’s goal
must always be to communicate clearly and to avoid distracting the reader with strange
sentences or awkward sentence constructions. The good news is that these errors can be easily
overcome.

Misplaced Modifiers

A misplaced modifier is a modifier that is placed too far from the word or words it modifies.
Misplaced modifiers make the sentence awkward and sometimes unintentionally humorous.

Incorrect: She wore a bicycle helmet on her head that was too large.

Correct: She wore a bicycle helmet that was too large on her head.

Notice in the incorrect sentence it sounds as if her head was too large! Of course, the writer is
referring to the helmet, not to the person’s head. The corrected version of the sentence
clarifies the writer’s meaning.

Look at the following two examples:

Incorrect: They bought a kitten for my brother they call Shadow.

Correct: They bought a kitten they call Shadow for my brother.

In the incorrect sentence, it seems that the brother’s name is Shadow. That’s because the
modifier is too far from the word it modifies, which is kitten.

Incorrect: The patient was referred to the physician with stomach pains.

Correct: The patient with stomach pains was referred to the physician.
The incorrect sentence reads as if it is the physician who has stomach pains! What the writer
means is that the patient has stomach pains.

Tip

Simple modifiers like only, almost, just, nearly, and barely often get used incorrectly because
writers often stick them in the wrong place.

Confusing: Tyler almost found fifty cents under the sofa cushions.

Repaired: Tyler found almost fifty cents under the sofa cushions.

How do you almost find something? Either you find it or you do not. The repaired sentence is
much clearer.

Exercise 1
On a separate sheet of paper, rewrite the following sentences
to correct the misplaced modifiers.

1.The young lady was walking the dog on the telephone.

The young lady on the telephone was walking the dog.
2.I heard that there was a robbery on the evening news.
I heard on the evening news that there was a robbery.
3.Uncle Louie bought a running stroller for the baby that he
called “Speed Racer.”
Uncle Louie bought a running stroller that he called "Speed
Racer" for the baby.
4.Rolling down the mountain, the explorer stopped the
boulder with his powerful foot.
5.We are looking for a babysitter for our precious six-year-old
who doesn’t drink or smoke and owns a car.
6.The teacher served cookies to the children wrapped in
aluminum foil.
The teacher wrapped in aluminum foil served cookies to the
children.
7.The mysterious woman walked toward the car holding an
umbrella.
Holding an umbrella, the mysterious woman walked toward
the car.
8.We returned the wine to the waiter that was sour.
9. Charlie spotted a stray puppy driving home from work.
Driving home from work, Charlie spotted a stray puppy.
10. I ate nothing but a cold bowl of noodles for dinner.

Dangling Modifiers
A dangling modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that describes
something that has been left out of the sentence. When there
is nothing that the word, phrase, or clause can modify, the
modifier is said to dangle.
Incorrect: Riding in the sports car, the world whizzed by
rapidly.

Correct: As Jane was riding in the sports car, the world

whizzed by rapidly.
In the incorrect sentence, riding in the sports car is dangling.
The reader is left wondering who is riding in the sports car.
The writer must tell the reader!
Incorrect: Walking home at night, the trees looked like spooky
aliens.

Correct: As Jonas was walking home at night, the trees looked

like spooky aliens.

Correct: The trees looked like spooky aliens as Jonas was

walking home at night.
In the incorrect sentence walking home at night is dangling.
Who is walking home at night? Jonas. Note that there are two
different ways the dangling modifier can be corrected.
Incorrect: To win the spelling bee, Luis and Gerard should join
our team.

Correct: If we want to win the spelling bee this year, Luis and
Gerard should join our team.
In the incorrect sentence, to win the spelling bee is dangling.
Who wants to win the spelling bee? We do!
Tip
The following three steps will help you quickly spot a dangling
modifier:

1. Look for an -ing modifier at the beginning of your

sentence or another modifying phrase:

Painting for three hours at night, the kitchen was finally

finished by Maggie. (Painting is the -ing modifier.)

2. Underline the first noun that follows it:

Painting for three hours at night, the kitchen was finally

finished by Maggie.
 3. Make sure the modifier and noun go together logically. If
they do not, it is very likely you have a dangling modifier.

After identifying the dangling modifier, rewrite the sentence.

Painting for three hours at night, Maggie finally finished the

kitchen.
Exercise 2
Rewrite the following the sentences onto your own sheet of
paper to correct the dangling modifiers.

1.Bent over backward, the posture was very challenging.

2. Making discoveries about new creatures, this is an 3.
interesting time to be a biologist.
4. Walking in the dark, the picture fell off the wall.
5. Playing a guitar in the bedroom, the cat was seen under the
bed.
6. Packing for a trip, a cockroach scurried down the hallway.
7. While looking in the mirror, the towel swayed in the breeze.
8. While driving to the veterinarian’s office, the dog nervously
whined.
9. The priceless painting drew large crowds when walking into
the museum.
10. Piled up next to the bookshelf, I chose a romance novel.
Chewing furiously, the gum fell out of my mouth.
Answer: ● The posture was very challenging as I bent over
backward.

● This is an interesting time to be a biologist, making

discoveries about new creatures.

● The picture fell off the wall while walking in the dark.

● The cat was seen under the bed while playing a guitar in the
bedroom.
● A cockroach scurried down the hallway while packing for a
trip.

● The towel swayed in the breeze while looking in the mirror.

● The dog nervously whined while driving to the veterinarian’s

office.

● When walking into the museum, large crowds gathered to

see the priceless painting.

● I chose a romance novel piled up next to the bookshelf.

● Chewing furiously, I accidentally dropped the gum out of my

mouth.
 Exercise 3
Rewrite the following paragraph correcting all the misplaced
and dangling modifiers.

I bought a fresh loaf of bread for my sandwich shopping in the

grocery store. Wanting to make a delicious sandwich, the
mayonnaise was thickly spread. Placing the cold cuts on the
bread, the lettuce was placed on top. I cut the sandwich in half
with a knife turning on the radio. Biting into the sandwich, my
favorite song blared loudly in my ears. Humming and chewing,
my sandwich went down smoothly. Smiling, my sandwich will
be made again, but next time I will add cheese.
The first sentence contains a misplaced/dangling modifier that
can be corrected by moving it to the front:

Shopping in the grocery store, I bought a fresh loaf of bread

for my sandwich.
The second sentence is written in passive voice which can be
confusing (especially as the subject of this particular sentence
is implied), so explicitly stating who is doing the action will
help:

Wanting to make a delicious sandwich, I thickly spread the

mayonnaise.
The third sentence has some issues with syntax because,
again, it is written in passive voice and has no clearly
identified subject of the sentence.... To clarify the sequence of
events, you could say something like this instead:

After placing the cold cuts on the bread, I put the lettuce on
top.
The next sentence has a dangling modifier/issue with verb-
tense agreement:
I cut the sandwich in half with a knife and turned on the radio.
Admittedly, the next sentence isn't necessarily my favorite,
but isn't technically wrong; however, I do think it would read
better if you reordered the sentence because it would improve
the flow with the previous sentence:

My favourite song blared loudly in my ears while I bit into my

sandwich.
The next sentence, again, is written in passive voice, so, to
clarify the opening adverbial phrase, you could add the
subject:

Humming as I chewed, my sandwich went down smoothly.

Finally, the last sentence is also in passive voice and has a
dangling modifier at the beginning and needs to have the
prepositional phrase at the end set off with commas.... Try
something like:

Smiling to myself, I decide I will make this sandwich again, but,

next time, I will add cheese.
That being said, I'm not entirely sure if that answers your
"how many errors" question, but I hope it helped nonetheless.
Dangling Modifiers - Exercise 2
Wording may vary. Below are suggested corrections.
For help with any item below, refer to the dangling modifiers
page .

1. After we walked for hours, the car looked wonderful

After walking for hours, we thought the car looked wonderful.

Your Answer:

2. While I am watching a classic film, commercials are

irritating.

While watching a classic film, I find commercial irritating.

Your Answer:

3. To please the children, they set off some fireworks early.

The children were pleased when some fireworks were set off
early.

Your Answer:

4. When I was twelve, my mother entered me in a contest.

At the age of twelve, I was entered in a contest by my mother.

Your Answer:

5. Because I took good care of myself, the flu never kept me

from work this winter.

By taking good care of myself, I never had to take off work for
the flu this winter.

Your Answer:

6. Budgeting his money carefully, he finally paid his debts.

Because he budgeted his money carefully, his debts were
finally paid.

Your Answer:

7. To lose weight, you should avoid fatty foods.

If you want to lose weight, fatty foods should be avoided.

8. By digging test wells, they located new oil sources.

When they dug new test wells, new oil sources were located.

Your Answer:

9. Dropped in the bushes, the missing keys were found by the

child.
The child found the missing keys that were dropped in the
bushes.

Your Answer:

10. Carrying a heavy pile of books, she caught her foot on the
step.

When she was carrying a heavy pile of books, her foot caught
on the step
Dangling Modifiers - Exercise 1
Wording may vary. Below are suggested corrections.
For help with any item below, refer to the dangling modifiers
page .

1. Writing carefully, the student finished the essay in time to

hand in.

Because the student wrote carefully, the essay was finished in

time to hand in.
2. My flesh felt creepy after I saw a monster movie.

After seeing a monster movie, I felt creepy.

Your Answer:

3. When I was four, my grandmother taught me to knit.

At the age of four, I was taught to knit by my grandmother.

Your Answer:

4. To do well in college, you will need to get good grades.

For you to do well in college, good grades are essential.

Your Answer:
5. Crowded in the car, we were uncomfortable during the trip.

Because we were crowded in the car, the trip was

uncomfortable.

Your Answer:

6. While still a student, she received a job offer.

While she was still a student, a job offer was received.

Your Answer:

7. After John had done calculus problems for hours, his foot
went to sleep.

After doing calculus problems for hours, John noticed his foot
went to sleep.

Your Answer:
8. When we drove over the hill, the ocean came into view.

Driving over the hill, we saw the ocean come into view.

Your Answer:

9. Confused by the complicated wording, we couldn't make

sense of the contract.

Because we were confused by the complicated wording, the

contract made no sense.

Your Answer:

10. After Joe cleared his throat, his voice sounded much better
to me.

After clearing his throat, Joe sounded much better to me.