1. Placement of Modifiers More grammar for you to fall in love with…

2. What is a modifier?  Clarifies or makes more definite the meaning of the word it modifies.  Must be placed as near to the word as possible.  When he saw the police officer, the thief decided to make a run for it, abandoning the stolen car and running into the woods.

3. Misplaced Modifiers  Place it as near to the word as possible  Examples

4. Revising Misplaced Modifiers  Commander Richardson was decorated for his action, but he was haunted by the memory of the men who had died in the battle.  The company now runs a late bus for skiers leaving at 6:15.  One of our observers sighted a plane through binoculars that she could not identify.

5. Revising Misplaced Modifiers  The causeway has a drawbridge to permit the passage of fishing boats from which all fishing is prohibited.  The community center was built by Mrs. Borden, who late became Mrs. Gruber, at a cost of $800,000.  She wore a straw hat on the back of her head which was obviously too small.  Mr. Jenkin, the explorer, described his trips through the rainforest in our social studies class.

6. Dangling Modifiers  A modifying phrase must clearly modify a word in a sentence. When there is no word to sensibly modify, it is said to “dangle”.  Example

7. Revising Dangling Modifiers  Left alone in the house, the thunderstorm terrified him.  Enormous and architecturally striking, everyone is impressed by the new building.  When selecting a college, the social life seems to interest some students more than education.  While talking with friends, the topic of dentistry came up.

8. Revising Dangling Modifiers  To keep the guacamole dip from turning brown, its surface should be covered with a thin layer of mayonnaise.  After working in the field all day, little strength was left for social activities.  Having promise to be home by midnight, the family was annoyed when I came in at two o’clock.  Riding in the glass-bottomed boat, hundreds of beautiful tropical fish could be seen.

9. Two-Way Modifiers  Modifiers that may modify two words.  Examples

10. Revising Modifiers  The Simpsons gave a toy to their children with a bullet-shaped glass head and flashing red eyes.  We saw a herd of sheep on the way to our hotel.  To succeed in college, a great deal of time must be spent studying.  Topped with yogurt, many people love fresh strawberries.

11. Revising Modifiers  By practicing a foreign language daily, great fluency can be gained.  Preferring the mountains to the seashore, the Great Smokies were chosen as our vacation spot.  One can see more than a hundred lakes, flying at an altitude of several thousand feet.  Rounding a sharp curve, a detour sign warned us of danger.