MODIFIERS

What are Modifiers? Modifiers are words or phrases that give a bit more information about a subject being described. Modifiers help make writing more vivid and interesting to read. BUT: There are some things to look out for when using them…

Modifier Placement Position the modifier close to the word it modifies: Incorrect: “Nixon told reporters that he planned to get out of politics after he lost the 1962 Election.” Correct: “After Nixon lost the 1962 election, he told reporters that he planned to get out of politics.” Incorrect: “I told my friend Michelle that I was planning to get a dog last Christmas.” Correct: “Last Christmas I told my friend Michelle that I was planning to get a dog.”

Limiting Modifiers change the degree of something Limiting Modifiers change the degree of something. Words like almost, just, only, barely, and even. Incorrect: “The city almost spent $20 million on the new stadium.” Correct: “The city spent almost $20 million on the new stadium” Incorrect: “She only goes to school on Wednesdays.” Correct: “She goes to school only on Wednesdays.”

Disruptive Modifiers If a modifier is placed in the middle of a thought, it can be distracting: Incorrect: “My hair is, after blow-drying, very frizzy.” Correct: “After blow-drying, my hair is very frizzy.”

MOVE THE MODIFIERS THAT UNNECESSARILY SPLIT AN INFINITIVE Don’t place a modifier between the to and the verb of an infinitive. EX: Split: I hope to almost equal my last years income. Revised: I hope that I will earn almost as much as I did last year. Split: The teacher expected the students to fairly quickly finish the quiz. Revised: The teacher expected the students to finish the quiz fairly quickly.

REVISE DANGLING MODIFIERS Dangling modifiers are words that modify nothing in particular in the rest of the sentence. Dangling modifiers frequently appear at the beginnings or ends of sentence. EX: Dangling: Driving nonstop, Raleigh is located two hours south of Jacksonville. Revised: Driving nonstop from Jacksonville, you can reach Raleigh in two hours.

Reluctantly, the hound was given away to a neighbor. To revise a dangling modifier, often you need to add a subject that the modifier clearly refers to. EX: Reluctantly, the hound was given away to a neighbor. Reluctantly, our family gave away the hound to a neighbor. As a young boy, his grandmother told stories of her years as a country school teacher. When he was a young boy, his grandmother told stories of her years as a country school teacher.