Modifiers — adjectives, adverbs, and descriptive phrases — must be placed next to the word they modify. A misplaced or dangling modifier creates confusion or unintended humour. This is a commonly tested concept on the Digital SAT.
Core Concepts
Misplaced Modifiers
A modifier placed too far from the word it modifies:
- ✗ "She almost drove her kids to school every day." (She almost drove? Or she drove almost every day?)
- ✓ "She drove her kids to school almost every day."
Dangling Modifiers
An introductory phrase that doesn't logically modify the subject that follows:
- ✗ "Walking through the park, the flowers were beautiful." (Who was walking? Not the flowers!)
- ✓ "Walking through the park, she noticed the beautiful flowers."
The Rule
An introductory modifying phrase must be followed by the noun it modifies.
Fixing Dangling Modifiers
Two approaches:
- Change the subject to match the modifier.
- Rewrite the modifier to include its own subject.
Strategy Tips
Tip 1: After an Introductory Phrase, Check the Subject
Ask: "Who or what is doing the action in the opening phrase?" That person or thing must be the grammatical subject.
Tip 2: Common Pattern
"Having studied all night, the exam was easy." — The exam didn't study! Fix: "Having studied all night, she found the exam easy."
Tip 3: Look for -ing and -ed Openers
"Running to class, ..." "Exhausted by the hike, ..." — these are common modifier starters.
Worked Example: Example 1
✗ "Covered in chocolate, the children devoured the cake."
Who's covered in chocolate? The cake, not the children.
✓ "The children devoured the cake, which was covered in chocolate." Or: "Covered in chocolate, the cake was devoured by the children."
Worked Example: SAT-Style
✗ "After reviewing the data, the conclusion was reached by the researchers."
✓ "After reviewing the data, the researchers reached their conclusion."
Key Takeaways
Place modifiers next to the word they modify.
Dangling modifiers occur when the introductory phrase doesn't match the grammatical subject.
After an introductory phrase, the subject must be the doer of that phrase's action.
Fix by changing the subject or rewriting the modifier.
