Dangling Modifier Example: What It Is and How To Use It

Do you know what a dangling modifier is? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on dangling modifiers, including the definition, usage, example sentences, and more!

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What is a dangling modifier?

According to Your Dictionary, a modifier is a word like an adjective or adverb that  changes, alters, limits, or adds more information about something. Ideally, this word should come right before or right after the word it modifies. If the word is missing, the modifier becomes a dangling modifier, making the sentence unclear. Often, a dangling modifier is formed when the modifier is in an introductory phrase followed by a comma, but the subject of the main clause is not present. Make sure that your sentence is in active voice and proper structure, so the doer of the action is next to the modifiers. With a dangling modifier, the intended target of the modifier or intended subject of the modifier is missing. This can form nonsensical sentences. In a correct sentence, the subject of the introductory modifier phrase or participle phrase is clear. A dangling modifier can cause confusion with the meaning of a sentence, because the implied subject of a sentence may mismatch with the modifier, verbal phrases, and more. A dangling modifier can be a single-word adjective or a phrase as a part of a sentence.

What are dangling modifier examples?

A dangling modifier can be used in many different contexts in the English language. Trying to use a word or literary technique in a sentence is one of the best ways to memorize what it is, but you can also try making flashcards or quizzes that test your knowledge. Try using this term of the day in a sentence today! Below are a couple of examples of dangling modifiers from Your Dictionary, Purdue and Scribbr that can help get you started incorporating this tool into your everyday use.  Try to use the term dangling modifier today or notice when someone else is using a dangling modifier.

  •  Hoping to garner favor, my new boyfriend was unimpressed with the gift.
  •  While driving to work, a car accident caused a traffic jam on the highway.
  •  While driving to work, a heroine was witnessed on the highway.
  •  After reading the original study, the article remains unconvincing.
  •  To become a practicing dentist, many teeth must be cleaned, filled, and filed.
  •  Hungry after two hours of hiking, my packed sandwich was quickly devoured upon reaching the peak.
  •  The car’s engine finally worked by fixing the transmission.
  •  Hungry, the leftover pizza was eaten
  •  Fumbling in Jill’s purse, the keys could not be found.
  •  Taken down to the cellar, the darkness obscured the details of the room.
  •  Relieved of your responsibilities at your job, your home should be a place to relax.
  •  Having finished the assignment, the TV was turned on.
  •  Wonderfully talented, we were impressed by the plans.
  •  Stuck standing in line, the elevator slowed everyone down.
  •  Having arrived late for practice, a written excuse was needed for the team captain.
  •  Tired of my lateness, the note was written and handed in.
  •  Heartbroken, the amusement park had to close for repairs.
  •  The experiment was a failure, not having studied the lab manual carefully.
  •  To improve his results, the experiment was done again.
  •  With one last look at the room, the door closed.
  •  Without knowing his name, it was difficult to introduce him.
  •  After reading the great new book, the movie based on it is sure to be exciting.
  •  Having injured his dominant hand, it was difficult to write the exam.
  •  Smiling from ear to ear, the candles are blown out, and the novel concludes happily.
  •  Unbeaten, the regular season championship was over.
  •  Requiring more data for the study, questionnaires were collected from an additional 200 people.
  •  Small but expensive, Jana was reluctant to buy.

What are other grammar terms?

There are many different literary and grammatical techniques and devices that you might see when you are reading prose or poetry. It is important to recognize these terms because they are always used for some purpose. Knowing these devices can help readers understand the author’s deeper meaning and why they are using such a device. Take a look at the below list of grammatical devices from OED and see how many you know! Then try researching ones that are unfamiliar to you. 

  •  double object
  •  reflexive
  •  pro-form
  •  indirect speech
  •  morpheme
  •  conjunction (conj.)
  •  antecedent
  •  direct question
  •  possessive pronoun
  •  collective noun
  •  complementary
  •  that-clause
  •  gender
  •  indirect object
  •  auxiliary verb | auxiliary
  •  past participle
  •  indirect question
  •  subject
  •  present participle
  •  article
  •  positive
  •  pronoun (pron.)
  •  ellipsis | elliptical
  •  appositive
  •  absolute (absol.)
  •  suffix
  •  compound | compounding
  •  definite article
  •  suffix
  •  preposition (prep.)
  •  intransitive
  •  perfect
  •  noun phrase
  •  nominative
  •  impersonal (impers.)
  •  neuter
  •  filler
  •  similative
  •  combining form (comb. form)
  •  adjective
  •  passive
  •  gerund
  •  special use
  •  concrete
  •  infinitive
  •  first person
  •  parenthetical | parenthetically
  •  modify | modifier
  •  determiner
  •  interjection
  •  verb (v.)
  •  second person
  •  abstract
  •  pleonasm | pleonastic
  •  feminine
  •  periphrasis | periphrastic
  •  postmodify | postmodifier
  •  agent noun
  •  accusative
  •  adverbial | adverbially
  •  simple
  •  dual
  •  interrogative
  •  combination
  •  non-referential
  •  singular
  •  mood
  •  element
  •  adverb (adv.)
  •  base form
  •  attributive
  •  to-infinitive
  •  main verb
  •  locative
  •  anaphoric
  •  imperative (imper.)
  •  count noun
  •  active
  •  number
  •  causative
  •  quasi-
  •  indirect passive
  •  past tense
  •  subjunctive
  •  possessive adjective
  •  optative
  •  construction
  •  indicative
  •  apposition
  •  non-finite
  •  clause
  •  verbal noun
  •  personal pronoun
  •  progressive
  •  relative
  •  participial adjective
  •  tense
  •  cognate object
  •  inflection | inflected | inflectional
  •  agree | agreement
  •  proper noun | proper name
  •  superlative
  •  case
  •  nominal relative | nominal relative clause
  •  prepositional phrase
  •  intensifier
  •  demonstrative
  •  instrumental
  •  stem
  •  noun (n.)
  •  present tense
  •  predicative
  •  protasis
  •  object | direct object | indirect object
  •  apodosis and protasis
  •  possessive
  •  zero
  •  prefix
  •  conditional
  •  comparative
  •  construed (const., constr.)
  •  subjective
  •  unmarked genitive
  •  objective
  •  phrase (phr.)
  •  parasynthetic
  •  sentence adverb |sentence adverbial
  •  participle | past participle | present participle
  •  cataphoric
  •  mass noun
  •  person
  •  head
  •  collocation | collocate
  •  prepositional object
  •  common noun
  •  anticipatory
  •  premodify | premodifier
  •  plural
  •  vocative
  •  third-person
  •  subordinate clause
  •  part of speech
  •  copular verb | copula
  •  dative
  •  prepositional passive
  •  phrasal verb
  •  modal verb | modal auxiliary verb | modal auxiliary
  •  main clause
  •  complement
  •  indefinite
  •  masculine
  •  declarative
  •  direct object
  •  finite
  •  bare infinitive
  •  direct speech
  •  genitive
  •  transitive
  •  passive infinitive

In summary, a dangling modifier is when the subject of a modifier is missing from a sentence. 

Sources:

  1. Glossary of Grammatical Terms | OED
  2. Dangling Modifiers and How To Correct Them | Purdue Owl
  3. How to Recognize and Fix Dangling Modifiers (with Examples) | Scribbr 
  4. Examples of Dangling Modifiers | Your Dictionary 
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Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do's and don'ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.

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