NewsBlues mrsbgrammar Page 48
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Mrs. Bluezette's Grammar Guide
dangling modifier
When a phrase has nothing to modify (or what it modifies is
nonsensical), it's called a "dangling modifier."
(wrong) After failing to make a court appearance to answer
reckless driving charges, a bench warrant was issued for the
anchor.
The bench warrant didn't fail to make a court appearance, but that's
what the sentence above says.
"After failing to make a court appearance to answer reckless driving
charges" is a phrase about the ANCHOR, so the clause after it needs
to be about HER, not about the bench.
Here's a corrected version.
v
After failing to make a court appearance to answer reckless
driving charges, the anchor was issued a bench warrant.
Or better, use the ACTIVE voice:
v
The judge issued a warrant after the anchor failed to make a
court appearance to answer charges of reckless driving.
Mrs. B hopes such a thing never happens to you, being charged with
reckless driving, that is.
But try to avoid using those dangling modifiers too.
You'll sound much more like the able communicator you're striving
to be.
