Misplaced Modifiers
Have you heard this Groucho Marx joke?
“One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas,” said Groucho. “How he got into my pajamas, I don’t know.”
Groucho made a joke out of a common grammatical error: misplaced modifiers. It’s a good lesson for you. When you misplace a modifier, it can confuse readers or worse, cause them to laugh.
Here's the rule: Modifiers (and modifying phrases) generally modify the subject they are closest to.
Can you spot the misplaced modifiers below?
1. Susan waited patiently behind a kid with baggy sweatpants carrying a full load.
Carrying a full load, Susan waited patiently behind a kid in baggy sweatpants.
2. The homeowner chased the intruder wearing nothing but his underwear.
The homeowner, wearing nothing but his underwear, chased the intruder.
3. The butler greeted the girl with a smile.
The butler greeted the smiling girl. Or The butler smiled as he met the girl.
4. Jim saw the car crash through the window.
Jim saw the car crash through the window. Or Jim watched through the window as the car crashed.
5. The alcoholic walks into a bar for a drink that is filthy, cold, and run down.
The alcoholic walks into a filthy, cold, rundown bar for a drink.
6. Between birth and five years old, a mother should be at home with her children.
Between birth and five years old, children should be at home with their mother.
Below, the meaning changes depending on which word follows ‘nearly’ or ‘almost.’
7a. He lost nearly $5,000 in Las Vegas.
7b. He nearly lost $5,000 in Las Vegas.
8a. Iris almost failed every exam she took.
8b. Iris failed almost every exam she took.
To avoid these problems, place the modifier next to the word it modifies. Using shorter sentences can help as well; so does reading your sentence aloud. A fresh eye the next morning can also uncover a problem. Make sure your words mean exactly what you want. That way, you will head off confusion. Leave the jokes to the comedians.
Contact Business Writing That Counts! for help with grammar at (425) 485-3221.
