misplaced modifier

Examples of misplaced modifier in the following topics:

• Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

  • In situations where modifiers are used incorrectly, the result is a dangling modifier, a misplaced modifier, or a squinting modifier.
  • Similar to a dangling modifier, a misplaced modifier occurs when it is unclear what word(s) the modifier is referencing.
  • Most misplaced modifiers can be corrected by placing the modifying phrase next to the subject it refers to.
  • Misplaced: Peter ate the pie sitting on the windowsill.
  • To avoid dangling and misplaced modifiers in your writing, make sure the word or phrase being modified is clearly identified.

• Introduction to Adjectives and Adverbs

  • Adjectives modify nouns and pronouns; adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.
  • But without modifiers, "the Great Wall"  would simply be "the Wall."
  • Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.
  • [The adverb reasonably modifies the adjective early.]
  • [The adverb quite modifies the adverb passionately.]

• Adverbs

  • Just as adjectives modify nouns and pronouns, adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.
  • You can use prepositional phrases as adverbs if they modify a verb, adjective, or adverb.

• Adjectives

  • specify the amount of whatever noun or pronoun you are modifying.
  • Prepositional phrases can act as adjectives, normally modifying the noun that precedes them.
  • They are most frequently used as a modifier placed right after a noun or as a predicate to a verb.

• Components of a Sentence

  • English features four core sentence elements (subjects, predicates, objects, and modifiers) that make up phrases and clauses, which in turn make up sentences.
  • In order to successfully craft sentences, one must first understand the core elements of complete English sentences: subjects, objects, predicates, and modifiers.
  • A modifier is a phrase in a sentence that provides additional information about an element within that sentence.
  • There are three basic kinds of modifying constructions:
  • Modifying clauses (a clause is any group of words with its own subject and predicate): The only one of the seven dwarfs who does not have a beard is Dopey.

• Introduction to Commas

  • Writers can give readers information that limits or otherwise modifies a main idea that follows.
  • Modifiers are words or phrases that are added to sentences in order to make their meaning more specific.
  • In other words, if you dropped a restrictive modifier from a sentence, the meaning of the sentence would change.
  • In this sentence, "Alice Smith" is an appositive modifying the noun phrase "my sister."
  • In this sentence, "Iron Chef" is an appositive modifying the noun phrase "television show."

• Parentheses

  • Square brackets may also be used to modify quotations.
  • The bracketed expression "[sic]" is used after a quote or reprinted text to indicate the passage appears exactly as in the original source; a bracketed ellipsis "[...]" is often used to indicate deleted material; bracketed comments indicate when original text has been modified for clarity.

• How to Reference Different Types of Sources in Footnotes

  • Cara Nelson, "The Top Three Movies of All Time," Best Movies, last modified June 26, 1993, http://www.bestmovies.com/nelsoncara1.htm.

• Chicago/Turabian (Author–Date): How to Reference Different Types of Sources

  • Last modified October 7, 2015. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/life-bilingual/201510/bilingual-minds-bilingual-bodies.

• Chicago/Turabian (NB): How to Reference Different Types of Sources

  • Last modified October 7, 2015. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/life-bilingual/201510/bilingual-minds-bilingual-bodies.