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. Having finished the assignment, Jill turned on the TV. "Having finished" states an action but does not name the doer of that action.

What are examples of dangling modifiers?

Adjective Phrases as Dangling Modifiers

For example, "The big" doesn't make sense without telling what is big, which leaves "big" as a dangling modifier. However, "the big dog" is a complete phrase. Adjectives and adjective phrases can become dangling modifiers when they don't have anything to modify.

What are dangling modifiers in a sentence?

A dangling modifier is a phrase or clause that is not clearly and logically related to the word or words it modifies (i.e. is placed next to). Two notes about dangling modifiers: Unlike a misplaced modifier, a dangling modifier cannot be corrected by simply moving it to a different place in a sentence.