19. Accustomed to getting up early, the new schedule was not difficult for Naicol to adjust to.

MISPLACEDAND DANGLING MODIFIERS

As a general rule, a modifier should be placed as close as possible to the word it modifies.

Misplaced Modifiers A misplaced modifier seems to modify

the wrong word in the sentence. Ex: The pianist played a new

composition sitting on the piano bench.

(means the composition is sitting on the piano bench)

Correct- Sitting on the piano bench, the pianist played a new composition.

Misplaced Modifiers

Another example:

Turning green, I watched the lights.

(means ‘I’ turned green)

Correct: I watched the lights turning green.

(or) Turning green, the lights indicate a go signal.

Correct this sentence:

Broken and dusty, Clarence found an old computer in the garage.

Correct possible answers:

In the garage, Clarence found an old computer that was broken and dusty.

Broken and dusty, an old computer was found by Clarence in the garage.

(the computer, not Clarence nor the garage, is broken and dusty)

Place a present participle phrase right before or right after the word it describes.

Present participle: verb + ing

The children ate banana splits dripping with hot fudge and whipped cream.

Place a past participle phrase right before or right after the word it describes.

In the living room, Paul kicked the television angered by the football score.

Angered by the football score, Paul kicked the television in the living room.

Written on a crumpled paper, the essay still looked catchy because of its title.

Past participle: regular = verb + edirregular forms vary (-en)

Correct this:

Struggling with the algebra problem, the pencil tapped nervously on Kenneth’s desk.

18. After finishing his speech, the audience, including those who came late, was impressed with the statesman.

Misplaced Prepositional Phrases

When you place a prepositional phrase in the wrong place, all sorts of funny things can happen. Be careful!

Christine made the brownies for her aunt with chocolate icing. What is a woman doing running around

covered in chocolate icing? Correct: Christine made brownies with

chocolate icing for her aunt.

Dangling Modifiers

Live things and machines do actions – if there is an action verb in your sentence, there must also be a living thing or a machine that does the action.

Whenever you have dangling modifier, you must add words to the sentence. Simply rearranging the sentence will not fix the problem.

Fixing Dangling Modifiers

When nine years old, my father enrolled in medical school. (Incorrect)

When I was nine years old, my father enrolled in medical school. (Correct)

Having been fixed the night before, Priscilla could use the car. (Incorrect)

Since the car had been fixed the night before, Priscilla could use it. (Correct)

Correct these:

1. Leaving quickly, my car lights were left on.

2. After explaining that I had lost my wallet, the waiter allowed me to pay by check.

3. In selecting her next car, cost was determined by Linda’s paycheck.