Dangling Modifiers

basic idea

Instructor – Abrar Saud

When a modifier is not modifying a specific word, we call it a
dangling modifier.
It is also called a dangling participle, hanging modifier, floater,
floating modifier, or misrelated participle.

e.g. He painted her sitting on the step

Rule 1: Verbal Modifiers-ing forms and ed forms

মনে র া খ ব ে ন Modifier যাক ে Modify ক র ে ত া ক ে Modifier এ

র ঠ ি ক প র ে ই ব স ত ে হ ব ে । কা র ণ ত া ন া হ ল ে
Noun এ ব ং modifier এর relationship স ঠ ি ক হ য় ন া ।
Illogical: After jumping out of a boat, the shark bit the man

ব ্ য া খ ্ য া ঃ এখানে Boat থ ে ক ে ক ে Jump ক র ল ? উতর হ

ব ে The man. ক ি ন ্ ত ু প ্ র দ ত ্ ত ব া ক ্ য ট ি প ড় ে
ম ন ে হ চ ্ ছ ে Shark ট ি Jump ক র ে ছ ে , ক া র ণ Modifier
এর ঠ ি ক প র ে ই The shark আছ ে । এই জন ্ য Modifier এর ঠ
ি ক প র ে The man ক ে ব স া ত ে হ ব ে । স ু ত র া ং স ঠ ি
ক Form হ ব ে ন ি চ ে র ট ি ঃ
Correct: After jumping out of a boat, the man was bitten a
by shark.
Illogical: While reviewing for the test, missing of participial
phrases were realized that Marcia had forgotten to study
the use.
Correct: While reviewing for the test, Marcia realized that
she had forgotten to study the use of participial phrases
Dangling modifiers
phrase and clause
 Adjective Phrase

➢Incorrect: Young and inexperienced, the task seemed

easy to me.
Correct: Young and inexperienced, I thought the task
easy.
➢Incorrect: Old and pervert, fourth marriage seemed
not to criticize to him.
Correct: Old and pervert, he didn’t think the fourth
marriage to be criticizing.
 Reduced Adverbial Clause

➢Incorrect: While walking in the garden, her leg was broken.

Correct: While she was walking in the garden, she broke her leg.
➢Incorrect: While going to class, a dog bit me.
Correct: While going to class, I was bitten by a dog.
Incorrect: Smaller and flatter than an orange, it’s easy to peel a
tangerine and to separate its sections.
Correct: Smaller and flatter than an orange, a tangerine is easy to
peel and its sections separate readily.
Incorrect: Similar to the floppy disk, data is stored in the hard disk
in sectors.
Correct: Similar to the floppy disk, the hard disk stores data in
sectors.
যদি participial Phrase এ শুধ[verb + ing] থানে তাহল ে ব
া ক ্ য ে র Time ন ি র ্ ধ া র ি ত হ ব ে
Principal Clause এর Tense দারা।
Present: Practicing her swing every day, Tricia hopes to
get a job as a golf instructor.
Past: Having a terrible toothache, Felipe called the
dentist for an appointment.
Future: Finishing the letter later tonight, Sally will mail it
tomorrow morning
Dangling modifiers
and participles
 Present Participle

➢Incorrect: Entering the room, the light was off.

The subject of this sentence indicates that ‘the light’ is entering the
room which is not correct.
➢Correct: Entering the room, I found the light off.
Incorrect: Crossing the street, a car almost struck us.
Correct: As we crossed the street, a car almost struck us.
Incorrect: Flying out the window, he grabbed the papers.
Correct: Flying out the window, the papers were grabbed by him.
Incorrect: Plunging into the water, the drowning child was rescued.
Correct: Plunging into the water, he rescued the drowning child.
 Past Participle

➢Incorrect: Tired and exhausted, a nap was taken by

the passer-by.
Correct: Tired and exhausted, the passer-by took a nap.
➢Incorrect: Worn out by a long walk, she fainted.
Correct: As she worn out by a long walk, she fainted.
 Perfect Participle

➢Incorrect: Having arrived late for practice, a written

excuse was needed.
Correct: Having arrived late for practice, the team captain
needed a written excuse.
➢Incorrect: Having been served lunch, the problem was
discussed by the members of the committee.
Correct: Having been served lunch, the committee members
discussed the problem
Dangling infinitives
 Dangling infinitives

An infinitive is the base form of a verb before it is conjugated. It is

formed with “to” plus the verb root: to write, to avoid, to walk, to
study. It does not function as a verb; rather, it serves as a noun, an
adverb, or an adjective in a sentence.
➢ Jennifer wants to write well. (noun acting as a direct object)
➢ To write well Jennifer wants. (or To write well, Jennifer
wants.)
➢ Jennifer studies grammar to write well. (adverb describing
why Jennifer studies)
➢ To write well, grammar is studied by Jennifer.
➢ Jennifer has a goal to study more grammar. (adjective
modifying goal)
➢ To study more grammar Jennifer has a goal
Illogical: To taking action pictures, always use a high-speed film.
Correct: To take action pictures, always use a high-speed film.
Illogical: To protect yourself from dangerous exposure to the sun's
rays, using a sun screen.
Correct: To protect yourself from dangerous exposure to the sun's
rays, use a sun screen.
 Active vs. Passive Voice

➢To write well, grammar is studied by Jennifer.

➢To write well, Jennifer studies grammar.
➢To show them as viable, the tablets were dissolved in the
solution.
➢To show them as viable, the presenter dissolved the
tablets in the solution
 Exercise Questions
Facing with an unexpected increase in his rent, Mr. comez did not know what to do.
Detect error:
A)facing with
B)increase
C)did not
D)to do
E)no error
Being seen the movie before she was not much interested in watching it a second time.
A)Being seen
B)was not much
C)interested in
D)watching
E)No error
Making use of contemporary diaries and letters, Florey's complexity is brilliantly
revealed by lax.
A)Florey's complexity is brilliantly revealed by lax.
B)Lax brilliantly reveals Florey's complexity.
C)Florey is brilliantly shown in all his complexity by Lax.
D)Lax brilliantly revealed the complexity of Florey.
E)Lax's study has brilliantly revealed the complexity of Florey.
delighted by the reported earnings for the first quarter of the fiscal year, it was decided
by the company manager to give her staff a raise.
A)it was decided by the company manager to give a raise to her staff.
B)the decision of the company manager was to give her staff a raise.
C)the company manager decided to give her staff a raise.
D)the staff was given a raise by the company manager.
E)a raise was given to the staff by the company manager.
Underestimating its value, breakfast is a male many people skip.
A)Underestimating its value, breakfast is a male many people skip.
B)Breakfast skipped by many people because of their underestimating its value.
C)Many people, underestimating the value to breakfast and skip it.
D)Many people skip breakfast because they underestimate it's value.
E)None of these.
Having been the shortest in the class, she cannot see the blackboard from the back.
A)Having been the shortest in the class, she cannot see the blackboard from the back.
B)Having been the shortest in the class, the blackboard could not be seen by her.
C)Having being the shortest in the class, she cannot see the blackboard from the back.
D)Being the shortest in the class, the blackboard could not be seen by her.
E)Being the shortest in the class, she cannot see the blackboard from the back..
Six stories high, portholes for eyes and aspiral staircase in each hind leg,is the elephant
shape building known as 'Lucy',which towered over Margate city,New Jersey since 1981.
A)is the elephant shape building known as 'Lucy',which towered over Margate city,New
Jersey since 1981.
b. since 1881 it has towered over Margate City, New Jersey, the elephant-shaped
building known as "Lucy"
c. the elephant-shaped building known as "Lucy" has towered over Margate City. New
Jersey since 1881
d. towering over Marg`ate City, New Jersey, since 1881 has been the elephant-shaped
building known as "Lucy"
e. none of these
______about the need to educate people on national energy security, the speaker
stressed the importance of conserving electricity.
a. During the talk
b. While the talk
c. In the event of talking
d. A talk
e. While the talking
Instruction: Identify the correct sentence.
identify the correct sentence
a. Signing the contract, you cannot shrug off liability by giving the excuse that you have
not seen the fine prints.
b. Once you have signed the contract, you cannot shrug off liability by giving the excuse
that you have not seen the fine prints.
c. Once you have signed the contract, you could not shrug off liability by giving the
excuse that you did not seen the fine prints.
d. Once signed, you cannot shrug off liability in contracts by giving the excuse that you
have not seen the fine prints.
e. Once the contract has been signed off, you cannot shrug off liability by giving the
excuse that you have not seen the fine prints.
Find the correct sentence
a. As we crossed the street, a car almost struck us.
b. Crossed the street, a car almost struck us.
c. A car almost struck us, crossed the street.
d. While a car, crossed the street, almost struck us.
e. When having crossed the street, a car almost struck us.
 Parallelism
correlative conjunctions
Correlative conjunctions include the following pairs:
➢ both / and
➢ not only / but also (the “also” may be omitted,
but not “but”)
➢ either / or
➢ neither / nor
➢ whether / or
whatever grammatical structure follows the first
conjunction also follows the second.

INCORRECT: I will either cook a turkey or a chicken. ("Either"

comes before a verb; "or" comes before a noun.)

CORRECT: I will cook either a turkey or a chicken. ("Either”

and “or” both precede nouns in this sentence.) OR I will
either roast a turkey or fry a chicken. ("Either" and "or" both
precede verbs in this sentence.)
Not only…. But also
SIMPLE SENTENCES: Brent made the hockey team. He won
a scholarship.
INCORRECT: Not only did Brent make the hockey team,
also he won a scholarship. (comma splice)
CORRECT: Not only did Brent make the hockey team, but
also he won a scholarship. (compound sentence)
CORRECT: Not only did Brent make the hockey team, but
he won a scholarship. (compound sentence)
CORRECT: Brent not only made the hockey team but also
won a schol- arship. (simple sentence with compound verb
Parallelism-basic idea
➢এ ক ই র ক ম Idea প ্ র ক া শ ক র র এ ম ন
ব ি ষ য় গ ু ল োক ে and দ ্ ব া র া য ু ক ্
ত ক র ল ে এ ক ই Grammatical structure maintain
কর ত ে হ য ় ।

And, or, than, similar to, as well as ই ত ্ য া দ ি

sentence এ ব ্ য ব হ ৃ ত হ ল ে এ দ ে র প ূ র
্ ব ে এ ব ং প র ে এ ক ই Grammatical structure
maintain ক র ত ে হ য ় ।
Not parallel parallel

Peter is � � � ℎ ( � � � � � � � � � ) , ℎ � Peter is � � � ℎ (� � � � � � � � � ) , ℎ �
� � � � � � (� � � � � � � � � ) and � � � � � � � � (� � � � � � � � � ) � � � �
� � � � � � � � � � � � ℎ � � (� � � � � � � � � � (� � � � � � � � )
� )

Mr. Henry is a � � � � � � (� � � � ) , � � � Mr. Henry is a � � � � � � (� � � � ) , � � �

� � � � � � � � (� � � � ) � � � ℎ � � � � � � � � � � (� � � � ) , � � � � � � �
� � ℎ � � (� � � � � � ) . � ℎ � � (� � � � ) .
The soldiers approached the enemy camp � � � � � � (�
� � � � � ) and � � � � � � (� � � � � � � � � ) .
She likes � � � � � ℎ (� � � � � � � � � � ) , � � �
� (� � � � � � � � � � ) , � � � � � � � � � � (�
� � � +� � � ) .
When teenagers finish high school, they have several choices:
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � (� � � � +� � � � ) ,
� � � � � � � � � � � (� � � � +� � � � ) or � ℎ �
� � � � (� � � � ) .
Enrique � � � � � � � (� � � � ) the room, � � � (�
� � � ) down, and � � � � � � � � � (� � � � � � �
➢If the sentence indicates that the different clauses
definitely happened or will happen at different times, then
this rule does not need to be followed.

She � � (� � � � � � � ) a senior, � � � � � � � (�
� � � � � � ) every day and � � � � � � � � � � �
� (� � � � � � ) a semester early.
Parallelism-series of
three
The dancer was tall, blonde, and had green eyes.

➢“Tall” and “blonde” are adjectives, but “had

green eyes” contains a verb and direct object
Correct sentences-
➢The dancer was tall, blonde, and green-eyed.
➢The dancer was tall and blonde and had green eyes.
➢The tall, blonde dancer had green eyes.
➢The green-eyed dancer was tall and blonde.
INCORRECT: The new manager asked for a cell phone,
laptop computer, and a fax machine.
CORRECT: The new manager asked for a cell phone, laptop
computer, and fax machine. (one article)
CORRECT: The new manager asked for a cell phone, a laptop
computer, and a fax machine. (three articles)
INCORRECT: The new manager asked for a cell phone,
laptop computer, and administrative assistant.
CORRECT: The new manager asked for a cell phone, a laptop
computer, and an administrative assistant. (Here three
articles are necessary because “administrative assistant,"
beginning with a vowel sound, requires “an.”
Swimming is becoming the sport of choice because it not only tones
every muscle in the body, it also requires fewer equipment than skiing,
cycling, or tennis.
a. is becoming
b. Because
c. it also requires
d. fewer
The sounds of speaking language do not always match up with the symbols of written
language.
a. Speaking
b. do
c. always
d. the symbols of
Fiber is an important element in nutrition and it aids in protecting the digestive tract as
well.
a. is an important
b. In
c. in protecting
d. As
The anthropologist is interested not in the actions of an individual, but in the social
significant of these actions.
a. Anthropologist
b. Interested
c. Actions
d. Significant
e. No Error.
Psychologist Abraham Maslow argued that humans have unique desires to discover and
understand, the giving of love to others, and to fulfill their inner potential.
a. Argued that
b. have unique desires
c. the giving of love to
d. their inner potential.
The tiger's cunning, strength, and agile have earned it a legendary reputation.
a. Agile
b. Earned
c. it
d. legendary
 Australia is the flattest and dry of the continents, as well as the oldest and most a
isolated.
a. and dry
b. as well as
c. Oldest
d. isolated.
Instruction: For each question, identify the appropriate word(s) to fill
in the gap(s).

By the end of the sixth century, Indian mathematicians were using the symbol for
zero___ the decimal point.
a. both
b. also using
c. as was
d. and also
______the water clear but also prevent the river from overflowing.
a. Not only the hippo's eating habits keep
b. Keep not only the hippo's eating habits
c. The hippo's eating not only keep
d. Not only keep the hippo's eating habits
He admired the speed with which he completed the work and____by him.
a. appreciating the method adopted
b. appreciated the method adopted
c. appreciated the method adoption
d. appreciate the method being adopted
e. appreciates the method that was adopted
Instruction: Each question in this section presents a sentence, part or
whole of which is underlined Beneath the sentence you will find
different ways of phrasing the underlined part. Choose the ans that
should replace the underlined part.

Speculations and hypothesizing are the most essential and well-known aspects of
inventions.
a. hypothesizing needs
b. Hypothesized
c. hypothesis
d. no improvement
A good doctor enquires not only about his patient's physical health, but about the
mental health too
a. but about their mental health.
b. but their mental health also
c. but also he enquires about their mental health.
d. but also about their mental health.
e. but too also about their mental health.
Keeping to the high roads, running as fast as she could, as well as not stops for rest
allowed her to make the trip in record time.
a as well as not stopping for rest
b. and not stopping for rest
c. not stopping for rest
d. stopping not for rest
e. None of these
It is a special feature of cell aggregation in the developing nervous system that in most
regions of the brain the cells not only adhere to one another and also adopt some
preferential orientation
a to one another and also adopt
b. one to the other, but also adopting
c. to one another but also adopt
d. to each other, also adopting
e. None of these
The principal feature of the redesigned checks is a series of printed instructions that the
company hopes will help merchants confirm a check's authenticity, which includes
reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures and view the watermark
while holding the check to the light.
a. which includes reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures, and view
b. which include reminders for watching the endorsement, to compare signatures and
view
c. including reminders to watch the endorsement, compare signatures, and view
d. including reminders to watch the endorsement, comparing signatures and viewing
e. None of these
The board reviewing the curriculum have found numerous courses that have become
outdated and others that have become redundant in a changing world .

a. The board reviewing the curriculum have found numerous courses that have become
outdated, and others that have become redundant in a changing world.
b. The board is reviewing the curriculum have found numerous courses that have
become outdated, and others that have become redundant in a changing world.
c. The board reviewing the curriculum has found numerous courses that became
outdated, and others have become redundant in a changing world.
d. The board reviewing the curriculum has found numerous courses that became
outdated, and others that have become redundant in a changing world.
e. The board reviewing the curriculum has found numerous courses that have become
outdated, and others that have become redundant in a changing world.
There are now many kinds of dictionaries, such as a dictionary of synonyms and
antonyms, a biographical dictionary, and a geographical dictionary with pronunciations
given.
a with pronunciations given
b. that has pronunciations given
c. with pronunciations' given
d. that have pronunciations given
e. that do have pronunciations given
Either you transfer the data which was demanded or file a report explaining why you did
not submit the overall annual figures.
a. Either you transfer the data which was demanded
b. You either transfer the data, which was demanded.
c. You either transfer the data which was demanded.
d. Either you transfer the data, which was demanded.
e. Either you transfer the data which were demanded.
The psychologist William James believed that facial expressions not only provide, visible
sign of an emotion, actually contributing to the feeling itself.
a emotion, actually also is contributing to the feeling itself
b. emotion but also actually contributing to the feeling itself
c. emotion but also actually contribute to the feeling itself
d. emotion; they also actually contribute to the feeling of it
e. emotion; the feeling itself is also actually contributed to by them
Bata Shoe Company has for several years followed a policy aimed at decreasing
operating costs and improving the efficiency of its distribution system.
a. aimed at decreasing operating costs and improving
b. aimed at the decreasing of operating costs and to improve
c. aiming at the decreasing of operating costs and improving
d. the aim of which is the decreasing of operating costs and improving
e. None of these
The United Nations Human Development Index takes into account life expectang
education, as well as income per person.
a. into account life expectancy, education, as well as income per person
b. life expectancy, education as well as income per person into account
c. into account life expectancy and education, as well as income per person
d. into account life expectancy and education, and well income per person
e. life expectancy, education and income per person in its account
Instruction: Identify the correct/incorrect sentence as instructed in the question

Find the correct Sentence

a. Karim enjoys hunting for rabbits socializing with friends and to read the
comics.
b. Karim enjoys to hunt rabbits socializing with friends and to read the comics.
c. Karim enjoys hunting for rabbits, socializing with friends and reading the
comics.
d. Karim enjoys to hunt for rabbits, socializing with friends and to read the
comics.
e. Karim enjoys hunting for rabbits socialize with friends and to read the comics.
Identify the sentence that is correct.
a. The good speaker must possess sincerity, a good platform manner, and have
the ability to express his thoughts.
b. Good speakers must possess sincerity, good platform manners, and the ability
to express their thoughts.
c. The good speaker must possess sincerity, a good platform manners, and has
the ability to express his thoughts.
d. Good speakers must possess sincerity, a good platform manner, and the ability
to express thoughts.
e. The good speaker must possess sincerity, good platform manner, and ability to
express his thought.
Select the option that represents the incorrect sentence.
a. I have less energy than I used to have.
b. The trustee agreed not only to fund the construction of the auditorium but
also the new research center.
c. Who but a dolt goes, out of the house wearing his or her shoes on the wrong
feet?
d. In her three months in the job she made herself thoroughly disliked.
e. None of these are incorrect.