Definition: A modifier is any word or group of words that describes another part of the sentence, including adjectives and adverbs.
Types of Modifiers
Adjectives: Words that describe nouns (e.g., "beautiful" and "old" in "the beautiful old house").
Adverbial Modifiers: Words that describe verbs or actions (e.g., "thoroughly" in "the doctor thoroughly examined the patient").
Phrases: Groups of words used adjectivally or adverbially (e.g., "across the street" modifies "house").
Relative Clauses: Clauses that function as adjectives (e.g., "that they bought last year" modifies "house").
Misplaced Modifiers
Definition: A misplaced modifier is when an adjective, phrase, or clause is incorrectly placed in a sentence, leading to confusion or a change in meaning.
Common Examples
Example 1: "We almost ate all the sandwiches."
Correction: "We ate almost all of the sandwiches."
Note: "Almost" should be placed as close as possible to "all" to clarify meaning.
Example 2: "Chasing a squirrel up a tree, my grandmother saw her cat Fluffy."
Correction: "My grandmother saw her cat Fluffy chasing a squirrel up a tree."
Note: The modifying phrase should relate directly to the noun it modifies ("Fluffy").
Example 3: "She wore a pink summer hat on her head, which was much too big."
Correction: "She wore a pink summer hat which was much too big."
Note: Remove unnecessary phrases to clarify that the hat, not the head, is too big.
Tips for Avoiding Misplaced Modifiers
Positioning: Ensure that modifiers are placed as close as possible to the words they modify to avoid confusion.
Clarity: Read sentences aloud or rephrase them to determine if they accurately convey intended meaning.