The Learning Commons

Dangling Modifiers

After changing into different shoes, the race was easy to finish.
While checking books out of the library, the lights went out.

The sentences above contain modifiers which have no clear word to modify. In the first sentence, the race obviously did not change shoes, and the lights probably didn't check books out of the library in the second. These are called dangling modifiers.

Dangling modifiers are usually one of two things:

a verbal phrase with nothing to modify

Example: Hearing the applause of the crowd, the competition ended.

a clause in which the subject and verb are omitted.

Example: When only three years old, my mother went back to work.

The mother in this sentence most likely did not go to work when she was three. Note the difference between the above sentence and this one:

When I was only three years old, my mother went back to work.

Once the omitted subject and verb have been added, the dangling modifier is corrected.

When general truth is stated, participles do not dangle.

Examples:

Weather permitting, the picnic will be held on the quad.
Speaking of books, the new novel by Toni Morrison got some really good reviews.

To correct a dangling modifier:

Leave the modifier as it is and rewrite the rest of the sentence so the word to which the modifier refers becomes the subject of the main clause.
or
Rewrite the dangling modifier as a complete dependent clause, which contains a subject and a verb.

Examples:

Dangling: On entering the room, beer was being served.
Fixed: On entering the room, I noticed that beer was being served.
Fixed: When I entered the room, beer was being served

Dangling: When only five years old, Barney was enjoyable.
Fixed: When only five years old, I found Barney enjoyable.
Fixed: When I was only five years old, Barney was enjoyable.

Dangling: After dropping his tennis racket, Bill's elbow was injured.
Fixed: After dropping his tennis racket, Bill injured his elbow.
Fixed: After he dropped his tennis racket, Bill's elbow was injured