A dangling modifier is a word or a group of words that does not clearly and logically refer to the proper noun or pronoun in the same sentence.In other words, a dangling modifier occurs when there is no appropriate word in the same sentence for the modifier (修饰语) to apply to.With no appropriate word to modify, the modifier seems to apply whatever it's next to, often with illogical results.

Though a dangling modifier can possibly occur in any part of a sentence, it frequently appears at the beginning of a sentence and mainly takes one of the following four forms.

1.Participles and participial phrases.

1) Dancing at the party, my feet got hurt.

2) Used all night long to illuminate the steps, I needed new batteries for the flashlight.

2.Gerunds and gerund phrases.

3) Before polishing the furniture, the floor should be vacuumed.

3.Infinitives and infinitive phrases.

4) To diagnose some diseases, the patient's medical history must be considered.

4.Elliptical clauses.

5) After a long day's work, a hot shower is always enjoyable.

Each sentence above has the same problem: the subject is not clear.In sentence 1) , “my feet”can not dance.In sentence 2) , “I”was not used all night long to illuminate the steps.In sentence 3) , “the floor”can not polish the furniture.In sentence 4) , “the patient's medical history”cannot diagnose some diseases.In sentence 5) , “a hot shower”cannot have a long day's work.Yet that is what the structure of these sentences implies.

In these five sentences, dancing at the party, used all night long to illuminate the steps, before polishing the furniture, to diagnose some diseases, and after a long day's work are called dangling modifiers.They are supposed to modify the subjects in these sentences, but since the subjects are not clear, these modifiers fail to modify the appropriate words in these sentences.

There are two major ways to correct a dangling modifier.

Method one: Choose the subject of your sentence carefully so that there is a word for the modifier to apply to.Using this method, you can correct the above five sentences.

1) Dancing at the party, I hurt my feet.

2) Used all night long to illuminate the steps, my flashlight needed new batteries.

3) Before polishing the furniture, you should vacuum the floor.

4) To diagnose some diseases, the doctor must consider the patient's medical history.

5) After a long day's work, he always enjoys a hot shower.

Method two: Change a dangling modifier into a dependent clause.With this method, you can rewrite the five sentences.

1) While I was dancing at the party, my feet got hurt.

2) Because I had used the flashlight all night long to illuminate the steps, I needed new batteries for it.

3) Before you polish the furniture, the floor should be vacuumed.

4) If the doctor wants to diagnose some diseases, the patient's medical history must be considered.

5) After he has a long day's work, a hot shower is always enjoyable.

To sum up, either way of correcting a dangling modifier makes the sentences 1) —5) clear and logical.

Practice 2-6-1

Correct the dangling modifiers in the following sentences by using any of the two methods you have just learned.Change the wording as necessary.Answers are provided only for the first five sentences.

1.Climbing the ladder, Peter's head knocked over the paint can.

2.By obeying all traffic regulations, many accidents can be avoided.

3.Having missed the train, the trip was cancelled.

4.To become a good fashion designer, it takes you many years to study.

5.At the age of eleven, Laura's father remarried.

6.To be successful in college, good study habits should be established.

7.Not having had much sleep, my concentration during class was weak.

8.By writing every day, my English will improve rapidly.

9.Walking in the meadow, wildflowers surrounded us.

10.When frightened, his heart beats faster.

11.After eating even snacks, your teeth should be cleaned thoroughly.

12.Pouring out cereal, a coupon (优惠券) fell into my bowl of milk.

13.To be a good mother, it is necessary to spend a lot of time with your child.

14.Rich or poor, my love for her will never change.

15.Unable to make a living in Detroit, relocating to Houston seemed a good idea.