Modifiers are the unsung heroes of any sentence, adding detail, description, and depth to otherwise simple ideas. But when they’re misplaced, these misplaced modifier examples, helpful words, or phrases can leave readers scratching their heads.
What Is a Misplaced Modifier?
A misplaced modifier occurs when a descriptive word, phrase, or clause is not placed correctly in a sentence.
In other words, the modifier doesn’t describe what it’s supposed to, which often makes sentences unclear or unintentionally humorous.
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Type of Misplaced Modifier Examples
Misplaced modifier examples come in different forms, each leading to confusion or awkward sentences when not placed correctly.
1. Dangling Modifier
A dangling modifier happens when a descriptive phrase doesn’t have a clear subject, making the sentence confusing or illogical.
Incorrect: After watching the movie, the popcorn was gone.
- Issue: It sounds like the popcorn watched the movie.
Corrected: After watching the movie, we finished all the popcorn.
- Why It Works: Now it’s clear that “we” watched the movie and ate the popcorn.
2. Squinting Modifiers
A squinting modifier is placed between two parts of a sentence, making it unclear which word it describes.
Incorrect: Fans who watch Marvel movies quickly become loyal.
- Issue: Does “quickly” mean they watch movies quickly or they become loyal fans quickly?
Corrected:
- Fans who watch Marvel movies become loyal quickly. (focuses on loyalty)
- Fans who quickly watch Marvel movies become loyal. (focuses on watching speed)
3. Prepositional Phrase Misplacement
A misplaced prepositional phrase can cause confusion about what it modifies in a sentence.
Incorrect: She saw a man with a telescope outside the Apple Store.
- Issue: It sounds like the Apple Store has the telescope.
Corrected: Outside the Apple Store, she saw a man with a telescope.
- Placing “outside the Apple Store” at the beginning clearly sets the scene.
4. Adjective Misplacement
Misplaced adjectives can mistakenly describe the wrong noun, leading to funny or confusing meanings.
Incorrect: The waiter brought the customers cold Starbucks coffee.
- Issue: It sounds like the customers are cold, not the coffee.
Corrected: The waiter brought cold Starbucks coffee to the customers.
- The adjective “cold” now properly describes the coffee, not the customers.
5. Adverb Misplacement
Misplaced adverbs can change the meaning of a sentence, sometimes drastically.
Incorrect: He almost ate all the Krispy Kreme donuts.
- Issue: It sounds like he didn’t eat anything at all.
Corrected: He ate almost all the Krispy Kreme donuts.
- Now the sentence clearly means that he ate most of the donuts, but not all.
Misplaced Modifier Examples List
- Incorrect: Running late for work, the Starbucks coffee spilled on my shirt.
- Issue: It sounds like the coffee was running late.
- Corrected: Running late for work, I spilled the Starbucks coffee on my shirt.
- Incorrect: She served pancakes to the kids on Disney plates.
- Issue: It sounds like the kids are sitting on Disney plates.
- Corrected: She served pancakes on Disney plates to the kids.
- Incorrect: After watching The Lion King, the popcorn disappeared.
- Issue: It sounds like the popcorn watched the movie.
- Corrected: After watching The Lion King, we ate all the popcorn.
- Incorrect: The waiter served a plate of cold sushi to the customers in a tuxedo.
- Issue: It sounds like the customers are wearing a tuxedo.
- Corrected: The waiter in a tuxedo served a plate of cold sushi to the customers.
- Incorrect: Covered in chocolate, I handed the donuts to my friend.
- Issue: It sounds like I am covered in chocolate.
- Corrected: I handed the donuts covered in chocolate to my friend.
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Funny Misplaced Modifier Examples
1. Misplaced Descriptive Phrases
These sentences start with modifiers that accidentally describe the wrong subject.
- Incorrect: While baking cookies, the smell filled the entire kitchen with joy.
- Corrected: While baking cookies, I enjoyed the smell that filled the entire kitchen.
- Incorrect: After watching Barbie, the popcorn bucket was completely empty.
- Corrected: After watching Barbie, we found the popcorn bucket completely empty.
- Incorrect: Walking into the bookstore, the shelves seemed to call out to me.
- Corrected: Walking into the bookstore, I felt like the shelves were calling out to me.
2. Misplaced Prepositional Phrases
These examples misplace prepositions, making it sound like objects or places are doing strange things.
- Incorrect: She spotted a man with binoculars outside the Krispy Kreme store.
- Corrected: Outside the Krispy Kreme store, she spotted a man with binoculars.
- Incorrect: The kids saw a bird on the way to Disneyland wearing a bright red cap.
- Corrected: On the way to Disneyland, the kids saw a bird wearing a bright red cap.
- Incorrect: We watched the waves at the beach rolling up to the shore with Starbucks in our hands.
- Corrected: With Starbucks in our hands, we watched the waves rolling up to the shore at the beach.
3. Misplaced Adjectives
Here, misplaced adjectives cause humorous or confusing meanings.
- Incorrect: The waiter gave a plate of hot soup to the customer in a tuxedo.
- Corrected: The waiter in a tuxedo gave a plate of hot soup to the customer.
- Incorrect: The bride wore a gown with sparkles she found at McDonald’s.
- Corrected: The bride wore a sparkly gown that she found while grabbing food at McDonald’s.
- Incorrect: He bought a box of donuts for his friend covered in chocolate sprinkles.
- Corrected: He bought a box of donuts covered in chocolate sprinkles for his friend.
4. Misplaced Adverbs
When adverbs are incorrectly placed, they can change the meaning of a sentence entirely.
- Incorrect: She almost finished the entire Netflix series in one night.
- Corrected: She finished almost the entire Netflix series in one night.
- Incorrect: He barely ate the giant burger from Five Guys without breathing.
- Corrected: He ate the giant burger from Five Guys barely without breathing.
- Incorrect: I nearly laughed at the comedian’s joke until my stomach hurt.
- Corrected: I laughed at the comedian’s joke nearly until my stomach hurt.
5. Misplaced Clauses
Entire clauses, when misplaced, can turn sentences into unintended jokes.
- Incorrect: The dog barked loudly at the man who was walking with a toy poodle wearing sunglasses.
- Corrected: The dog barked loudly at the man wearing sunglasses who was walking with a toy poodle.
- Incorrect: I found my keys in the garage cleaning out my car.
- Corrected: While cleaning out my car in the garage, I found my keys.
- Incorrect: The teacher handed out a test to the students that took two hours to write.
- Corrected: The teacher handed out a test that took two hours to write to the students.
Misplaced Modifier Examples Exercise
1.
A) While eating lunch, the cat watched us from the window.
B) While we were eating lunch, the cat watched us from the window.
2.
A) The man gave the dog a treat wearing a red collar.
B) The man gave a treat to the dog wearing a red collar.
3.
A) She found a letter on the table from her grandmother.
B) She found a letter from her grandmother on the table.
4.
A) Driving down the highway, the mountains looked beautiful.
B) Driving down the highway, we saw the beautiful mountains.
5.
A) The kids saw a rabbit while walking to school with floppy ears.
B) While walking to school, the kids saw a rabbit with floppy ears.
Misplaced Modifier Examples Answer
1.
Correct Answer: B) While we were eating lunch, the cat watched us from the window.
Explanation: In Option A, the modifier “While eating lunch” seems to describe the cat, making it sound like the cat was eating. Option B correctly clarifies that “we” were eating lunch, not the cat.
2.
Correct Answer: B) The man gave a treat to the dog wearing a red collar.
Explanation: In Option A, it sounds like the man is wearing the red collar. Option B fixes the ambiguity by clearly stating that the dog is wearing the red collar.
3.
Correct Answer: B) She found a letter from her grandmother on the table.
Explanation: In Option A, it sounds like the table is from her grandmother. Option B correctly places “from her grandmother” to describe the letter.
4.
Correct Answer: B) Driving down the highway, we saw the beautiful mountains.
Explanation: In Option A, the modifier makes it sound like the mountains are driving. Option B clarifies that “we” were driving and saw the mountains.
5.
Correct Answer: B) While walking to school, the kids saw a rabbit with floppy ears.
Explanation: In Option A, it sounds like the school has floppy ears. Option B correctly places “with floppy ears”to describe the rabbit.
Final Words
Final Words
Misplaced modifiers may seem like a small grammatical error, but they can completely change the meaning of a sentence, sometimes with humorous or confusing results. By learning to spot these errors and placing modifiers close to the words they describe, you can ensure your writing is clear, polished, and impactful.
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Let your words shine—because clarity always wins.
FAQ
To fix a misplaced modifier, place the modifier close to the word or phrase it describes.
Modifiers add detail to sentences and can be adjectives, adverbs, or phrases.
Adjective Modifier: The blue car sped down the road.
Adverb Modifier: He quickly finished his homework.
Phrase Modifier: Running late, she grabbed her coat and keys.
A dangling modifier occurs when the word it’s supposed to describe is missing from the sentence.
Incorrect: After studying for hours, the test felt easy.(Who studied? The subject is unclear.)
Correct: After studying for hours, she found the test easy.
A modifier is a word or phrase that adds description to a sentence.
A misplaced modifier is a modifier placed incorrectly, making the sentence unclear or confusing.
Yes, modifier is a word. It refers to any word, phrase, or clause that adds description or detail to another part of a sentence. Modifiers can be adjectives, adverbs, or entire phrases.
