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14a MISPLACED AND DANGLING MODIFIERS
- Black cowboys often guarded the railroad boss and his cash payroll for example, the black cowhand Bose Ikard often guarded up to $20,000 and “never lost a dime.”
- Stagecoach Mary battled blizzards, rain, and heat as she delivered the US mail to isolated cabins in Montana, in addition, this elderly black woman managed to fight off thieves and wolves along the way.
- Paul W. Stewart spent eleven years collecting information and artifacts about African Americans in the West as a result, everyone can see the dis- plays at the Black American West Museum in Denver, Colorado.
CHAPTER 14
Misplaced and Dangling
Modifiers
MISPLACED MODIFIERS
14a What is a misplaced modifier?
A modifier is a word or group of words that describes or limits another word or group of words. A misplaced modifier is positioned incorrectly in a sen- tence, which means, therefore, that it describes the wrong word and changes the writer’s meaning. Always place a modifier as close as possible to what it describes.
Avoiding squinting modifiers A squinting modifier is misplaced because it modifies both the word that comes before it and the word that follows it. Check that your modifiers are placed so that they communicate the meaning you intend.
NO The football player being recruited eagerly believed each suc- cessive offer would be better. [What was eager? The recruitment or the player’s belief?] YES The football player being recruited believed eagerly that each successive offer would be better. YES The football player being eagerly recruited believed that each successive offer would be better.
How can I avoid split infinitives? 14b
Placing limiting words carefully
Words such as only, not only, just, not just, almost, hardly, nearly, even, exact- ly, merely, scarcely, and simply serve to limit the meaning of a word according to where they are placed. When you use such words, position them precisely. Consider how moving the placement of the word only changes the meaning of this sentence: Professional coaches say that high salaries motivate players.
Only professional coaches say that high salaries motivate players. [No one else says this.] Professional coaches only say that high salaries motivate players. [The coaches probably do not mean what they say.] Professional coaches say only that high salaries motivate players. [The coaches say nothing else.] Professional coaches say that only high salaries motivate players. [Nothing except high salaries motivates players.] Professional coaches say that high salaries only motivate players. [High salaries do nothing other than motivate players.] Professional coaches say that high salaries motivate only players. [High salaries do motivate the players but not the coaches and managers.]
14b (^) How can I avoid split infinitives?
An INFINITIVE is a VERB form that starts with to: to motivate, to convince, to create are examples (see 7d). A split infinitive occurs when words are placed between the word to and its verb. The effect is awkward.
NO Orson Welles’s radio drama “War of the Worlds” managed to, in October 1938, convince listeners that they were hearing an invasion by Martians. [ In October 1938 is misplaced because the words come between to and convince. ] YES In October 1938, Orson Welles’s radio drama “War of the Worlds” managed to convince listeners that they were hearing an invasion by Martians. Often, the word that splits an infinitive is an ADVERB ending in -ly. In general, place adverbs either before or after the infinitive.
NO People feared that they would no longer be able to happily live in peace. YES People feared that they would no longer be able to live happily in peace.
The rule about split infinitives has changed recently. Current usage says that when the best placement for a single adverb is actually between to and the verb, use that structure freely.
Welles wanted to realistically portray a Martian invasion for the radio audience.
How can I avoid dangling modifiers? 14d
EXAMPLE exchange students learned to speak French while in Paris last summer
A. Last summer, / exchange students / learned to speak French / while in Paris. B. While in Paris, / exchange students / learned to speak French / last summer. C. Exchange students / learned to speak French / while in Paris / last summer. D. Exchange students / learned to speak French / last summer / while in Paris.
- chicken soup 2. tadpoles according to folklore instinctively helps swim toward cure colds their genetic relatives
- the young driver 4. climbed while driving the limber teenager in the snow a tall palm tree skidded to pick a ripe coconut carelessly quickly
- and cause mini-avalanches ski patrollers set explosives often to prevent big avalanches
DANGLING MODIFIERS
14d (^) How can I avoid dangling modifiers?
A dangling modifier describes or limits a word or words that never actually appear in the sentence. Aware of the intended meaning, the writer uncon- sciously supplies the missing words, but the reader can become confused. To correct a dangling modifier, state clearly your intended SUBJECT in the sentence.
NO Having read Faulkner’s short story “A Rose for Emily,” the ending surprised us. [This sentence says the ending was reading the story, which is impossible.] YES Having read Faulkner’s short story “A Rose for Emily,” we were surprised by the ending. [Second half of sentence is rewritten to include the subject we. ] YES We read Faulkner’s short story “A Rose for Emily” and were surprised by the ending. [Sentence is rewritten to include the subject We. ]
A major cause of dangling modifiers is the unnecessary use of the PASSIVE VOICE. Whenever possible, use the ACTIVE VOICE.
15a SHIFTING AND MIXED SENTENCES
NO To earn money, china-painting lessons were offered by Emily to wealthy young women. [ China-painting lessons cannot earn money. Were offered by Emily is in the passive voice.] YES To earn money, Emily offered china-painting lessons to wealthy young women. [Change to the active voice; Emily offered corrects the problem.]
E X E R C I S E 1 4 - 3 Identify and correct any dangling modifiers in these sen- tences. If a sentence is correct, circle its number. For help, consult 14d.
EXAMPLE To succeed as scientists, obstacles must be overcome by women. To succeed as scientists, women must overcome obstacles.
- In the past, few high-status science awards were won by women, a situa- tion that failed to give many outstanding women scientists the recognition they deserve.
- Attaining the highest achievements and awards has been beyond the grasp of even the most gifted women scientists.
- Rising from 12 percent in the mid-1980s to 20 percent today, an increas- ingly greater membership for women in the National Academy of Sciences is expected.
- Having chosen seventy-two new members in 2003, seventeen were women, a larger number than ever before.
- By discovering that a surprisingly large number of human genes control the sense of smell, Dr. Linda Buck earned her Academy membership.
CHAPTER 15
Shifting and Mixed Sentences
SHIFTING SENTENCES
15a What is a shifting sentence?
A shift within a sentence is an unnecessary, abrupt change in PERSON, NUM- BER, SUBJECT, VOICE, TENSE , MOOD , or DIRECT or INDIRECT DISCOURSE. These shifts blur meaning. Sometimes a shift occurs between two or more sen- tences in a paragraph. If you set out on one track (writing in FIRST PERSON, for example), your readers expect you to stay on that same track (and not
