Misplaced Modifiers A misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that is improperly separated from the word it modifies / describes. Because of the separation, sentences with this error often sound awkward, ridiculous, or confusing. Furthermore, they can be downright illogical. Example The example above suggests that a gold man owns a watch. Misplaced modifiers can usually be corrected by moving the modifier to a more sensible place in the sentence, generally next to the word it modifies.
Misplaced modifiers occur when the subject of the modifier is unclear because the modifier is poorly placed. The reader may be unsure of what word the modifier is.
![What is a misplaced modifier](http://www.towson.edu/ows/moduleDangling1.jpg)
Misplaced modifiers. Because the modifier is misplaced, we have to think for a minute before we get the intended meaning. The correct versions are.
- A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that modifies a word not clearly stated in the sentence. A modifier describes, clarifies, or gives more detail about a concept.
- A dangling modifier is an ambiguous grammatical construct, whereby a grammatical modifier could be misinterpreted as being associated with a word other than the one.
Self Teaching Unit: Avoiding Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers ©t 2000, 1999, 1998, 1998 Margaret L. Benner. Misplaced Modifiers. A misplaced modifier is a word.