MISPLACED MODIFIERS SECTION 18 MISPLACED MODIFIERS What is

MISPLACED MODIFIERS SECTION 18

MISPLACED MODIFIERS • What is a modifier? • A word, phrase, or clause that limits or qualifies the sense of another word or word group • That means, essentially, a word that changes another word • How do you even misplace a modifier? • It’s pretty simple…you put it in the wrong place… • This Power. Point is put together in a valiant effort to prevent you from doing that • I have great aspirations for you yet • Prove me right…please!

MISPLACED MODIFIERS • To make sure everything makes sense (things should always make sense): • Place modifiers near the words they modify • Why, you ask, do you need to place modifiers near the words they modify? • Because, I said so… • Not working for you, huh? • Okay, how about…because, I grade your work and I say so… • No seriously…just do what I say

MISPLACED MODIFIERS • Place modifiers near the words they modify • BECAUSE the meaning changes according to the placement of the modifiers • Gotcha! You thought I was going to say because I say so, huh? • For example: • Only he liked Sarah. • He only like Sarah. • He liked only Sarah. OR • The missionary from Kansas showed some pictures of heathen tribes. • The missionary showed some pictures from Kansas of heathen tribes. • The missionary showed some pictures of heathen tribes from Kansas.

MISPLACED MODIFIERS • Adjective phrases and adjective clauses, in most instances, should come immediately after the words they modify • For example: • The car was stopped alongside the road with one headlight. • Sound good? • Those better be negative responses I’m hearing • The car with one headlight was stopped alongside the road. • Now it’s right…right? • Yes, it most certainly is

MISPLACED MODIFIERS • Next example: • The house is still owned by our family that grandfather built. • Please tell me that this doesn’t even sound remotely correct…lie to me if you have to • The house that grandfather built is still owned by our family. • This sounds a bit more like English • Just out of curiosity, what is the first example called? The second?

MISPLACED MODIFIERS • An adverb phrase or clause that modifies a verb may be placed before or after the verb it modifies • Like so: • When you leave, please close the door. • Here the modifier is before the verb and it’s correct • Please close the door when you leave. • Here the modifier is after the verb and it’s correct

MISPLACED MODIFIERS • An adverb phrase or clause that modifies an adjective or an adverb is usually placed after the word it modifies • On with the requisite example: • Nicole was anxious about her new job. • The adverb phrase modifies the adjective anxious • My sister can sing better than I can. • The adverb clause modifies the adverb better

MISPLACED MODIFIERS • Place adverb modifiers as close as possible to the words they modify • For example (I had to include this because it made me laugh much more than it should have): • The pastor told how his wife had fallen from the pulpit. • I don’t know why I find this so funny…it’s incorrect as is though… • From the pulpit, the pastor told how his wife had fallen. OR • The pastor told from the pulpit how his wife had fallen.

MISPLACED MODIFIERS • Avoid “squinting” modifiers • What is squinting you ask? • It is when you contract your eyes and look at something funny because it makes no sense… • (I look at you all this way sometimes) • But, as a modifier it means placing a modifier between two words that it might modify which can (and does) cause confusion • For example: • The coach said in Houston we would have a double-header. • What are the two words the phrase might modify? • In Houston, the coach said we would have a double-header. OR • The coach said we would have a double-header in Houston.

MISPLACED MODIFIERS • Avoid awkward split constructions • Avoid awkward division of the parts of a verb phrase • Like follows: • She had since early last week been feeling bad. (awkward) • How do you make that better? • She had been feeling bad since early last week. (better) • Also, avoid unnecessary and awkward splitting of infinitives • Like so: • They asked him to as soon as possible move his car. • That sounds nowhere near correct. • They asked him to move his car as soon as possible. • That sounds like a proper sentence