A modifying word or phrase should always be placed as close as possible to the word it modifies. If a modifier is positioned too far away, it may appear to modify a different word, sometimes with humorous results.
Confusing: The model walked her dog wearing stiletto heels.
Better: Wearing stiletto heels, the model walked her dog.
Better: Wearing stiletto heels, the model walked her dog.
By repositioning the phrase wearing stiletto heels before model, the second sentence makes it clear that she, not her dog, is the fashionable one.
A misplaced modifier sometimes appears in the middle of a sentence.
Ambiguous: Melissa said on January 4 to meet her.
Did Melissa make this statement on January 4, or is the meeting scheduled for January 4? From the sentence alone, it is impossible to say. If a modifying phrase seems to apply logically to two different words (in this case, said and meet), eliminate possible confusion by moving the phrase away from the word it does not modify.
On January 4, she said to meet her. [On January 4 modifies said.]
She said to meet her on January 4. [On January 4 modifies meet.]
She said to meet her on January 4. [On January 4 modifies meet.]
Be particularly careful not to misplace limiting adverbs such as almost, merely, nearly, and only. The meaning of an entire sentence can hinge on the placement of one of these adverbs, as the examples below illustrate.
Only she can finish the report.
She can finish only the report.
She can finish only the report.
0 comments:
Post a Comment