NewsBlues mrsbgrammar Page 47
Chapter 1 Common Grammar Mistakes
37
misplaced modifier
A "misplaced modifier" is a word or group of related words placed
so it seems to modify a word other than the one it's intended to
modify.
Sound like gobbledygook?
Take a look at this.
(wrong) A judge granted Jane Fonda a divorce from CNN
founder Ted Turner on Tuesday, ending nearly a decade of
marriage without fanfare.
A marriage without fanfare?
Mrs. B thinks not.
The judge may have granted a divorce without fanfare, but that was
one MARRIAGE that had more than its share of fanfare.
Let's try again by moving the MISPLACED MODIFIER close to
what it's supposed to modify.
v
On Tuesday a judge, without fanfare, granted Jane Fonda a
divorce from CNN founder Ted Turner, ending nearly a decade
of marriage.
Here's another example.
(wrong) She suspected the AP had accidentally dropped the
script she'd been working on in the trash can.
Times are tough, but we don't have to write from the trashcan, yet.
v
She couldn't find her script and suspected the AP had
accidentally dropped it in the trashcan.
Mrs. B hopes you don't misplace any scripts OR any modifiers.
