A modifier restricts or adds to the sense of a noun. A modifier is either an adjective or an adverb. If there is no object for it to modify, it is said to be “dangling” or “misplaced.”
A dangling modifier usually has a word or phrase that modifies nothing in particular in the rest of the sentence, or often seems to modify something that is implied but not actually present in the sentence.
Example: Having looked everywhere for my LEGO, the brick I wanted couldn’t be found.
Misplaced modifiers usually fall in the wrong place in a sentence; it may be awkward, confusing, or unintentionally funny. Misplaced modifiers also include longer adverbs that disrupt the flow of the sentence and limiting adverbs (almost, even, exactly, nearly, only, etc.)
Adverbs
An adverb is a word that modifies verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs within a sentence. Sometimes adverbs modify a clause or an entire sentence. The most frequently recognized adverbs end in -ly. Adverbs often describe a verb by telling how, how much, how often, when, or where the verb is done.
Adverbs most commonly modify verbs. They describe the action of the verb.
Example: He ran quickly.
The adverb quickly modifies the verb ran. It describes how he ran.
Adverbs may also modify adjectives.
Example: This sandwich tastes very good.
The adverb very modifies the adjective good.
Adverbs can even modify other adverbs.
Example: She worked quite hard on her assignment.
The adverb quite modifies the adverb hard.
Conjunctive Adverbs
Conjunctive adverbs connect sentences or clauses by adding, comparing, or contrasting elements within the sentences. They may signal the result of what a previous signal offered, or may insert a reference of time in the sentences. Common conjunctive adverbs are furthermore, moreover, however, nonetheless, similarly, therefore, thus, and meanwhile.
Examples:
- I have found that results in this experiment support my hypothesis. However, the subjects have not responded in the manner that I had expected.
- You did not complete the project assigned for today. Therefore, your grade will be affected.
Created by Cindy Montgomery
Comparisons
Adjectives and adverbs have comparative and superlative forms. The comparative form is used to compare two things. The superlative form is used to compare more than two things. Most adjectives and adverbs use an -er ending in the comparative form and an -est ending in the superlative form.
When using a comparative or superlative form of an adjective or an adverb, it is very important to complete the comparison made in the sentence.
For example, do not write: My pie tastes better. Instead, write: My pie tastes better than yours.
Example: Pretty (adjective), prettier (comparative), prettiest (superlative)
Example: Good (adjective), better (comparative), best (superlative)
Another form incorporates the use of more/most or less/least before the adjective or adverb.
Example: Creative (adjective), more creative (comparative), most creative (superlative)
More examples:
- I ran hard today.
Hard is the adverb which modifies ran. - I ran harder today than I did yesterday.
Hard is in the form of a comparative adverb. It is comparing two ideas. “How hard I ran today” is compared with “how hard I ran yesterday”. - Of all the days I have run this week, I ran hardest on Wednesday.
Hardest is in the form of a superlative adverb. It is comparing more than two ideas. “How hard I ran on each day of the week” is being compared.
Created by Cindy Montgomery
Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
According to Laurie Kirszner and Stephen Mandell in the sixth edition of Writing First:
A modifier is a word or word group that identifies or describes another word or word group in a sentence.
Misplaced Modifiers
Modifiers can include the present participle of a verb (-ing) or the past participle of a verb (-ed).A common mistake when using modifiers is misplacing them, which in turn modifies or describes the wrong word or word group.
Incorrect: Crying on the examination table, the doctor gave the small child his vaccine.
This is incorrect because it implies that the doctor was crying on the examination table, when it was the child who was crying.
Correct: The doctor gave the small child crying on the examination table his vaccine.
The modifier “now” correctly describes the child as crying, not the doctor.
Incorrect: Lydia fed the pigs wearing her raincoat.
Correct: Wearing her raincoat, Lydia fed the pigs.
Incorrect: Dressed in a flowing gown, everyone watched the celebrity enter the room.
Correct: Everyone watched the celebrity, dressed in a flowing gown, enter the room.
Dangling Modifiers
Another common mistake when using modifiers is having a dangling modifier. This occurs when the word that is being modified is not actually included in the sentence.
Incorrect: To be excused from jury duty, an employer’s note is needed.
This sentence implies that an employer’s note may need to be excused from jury duty. In reality, a potential juror may need to be excused from jury duty.
Correct: To be excused from jury duty, a potential juror must have a note from their employer.
Incorrect: Using the Pythagorean Theorem, the math problem was easily solved.
Did the math problem use the theorem? Who did?
Correct: Using the Pythagorean Theorem, Wendy easily solved the math problem.
This version is correct because Wendy was the one who used the theorem.
Incorrect: Working through the night, the report was finished in time for class.
Correct: Working through the night, Jeremy finished the report in time for class.
Incorrect: Having finished the essay, a new Facebook status was uploaded.
Correct: Having finished the essay, Sandra uploaded a new Facebook status.
A special thanks to Laurie Kirszner and Stephen Mandell’s Writing First, published by Bedford/St. Martin’s in 2015.
