Misplaced modifiers are words or phrases that you’ve put in the wrong place.

Modifiers should be placed as close as possible to the words they modify.

Take a look at this sentence, written with a single word in the wrong place:

After her wreck Joanna could comprehend what the ambulance driver was barely saying.

It should be moved so that it modifies the verb could comprehend.

After her wreck, Joanna could barely comprehend what the ambulance driver was saying.

In addition to being single words, misplaced modifiers can also be phrases.

Witnesses reported that the woman was driving the getaway car with flowing black hair.

Clauses, too, can be put in the wrong place!

Mrs. Anderson could not stop thinking about her sick baby running in the six-mile road race.

One of the most common problems with misplaced modifiers comes with what are called limiting modifiers—words like almost, even, hardly, just, merely, nearly, only, scarcely, and simply.

To convey the correct meaning, limiting modifiers must be placed in front of the words they modify.

1. Already, Mr. Gonzales has almost eaten four slabs of ribs!

2. Richard has nearly wrecked every car he’s had.

Another problem arises with the word not. Often the word not appears in the wrong place.

All these chairs in the office are not comfortable for the employees.

Dangling modifiers have no word or phrase to describe; they just dangle, or hang in the sentence without something to hold on to.

Long ears drooping on the floor, Julie wondered how the dog could walk.

While performing, the audience gasped as the singer forgot the words to the song.

After getting a new paint job, reupholstering was now needed for the car.

1. Carved in stone, I found the ancient ruins.

2. Walking through the garden, the petunias drooped their scarlet heads.

3. Jay went to see the new ape in the zoo wearing his new jeans.

4. While trying to work on my term paper, my dog kept annoying me.

Workbook Page 209

Parallelism helps you give equality and balance to separate points that you make.

This includes keeping all nouns, all verbs, all verb tenses, and voices the same.

“With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together…”—M.L.King

“I came, I saw, I conquered”—J.Caesar

When naming items, you should present them all the same way.

This afternoon I washed, waxed, and then I was vacuuming the car.

The following example shows the incorrect use of parallel items in a series when a colon is used:

Compared to a typewriter, a word processor has three helpful features that save time: you can edit, you can save drafts, and it automatically corrects words.

When using more than one clause, you should keep the same voice and use the same type of introduction in each.

I was worried that Bill would drive too fast, that the road would be too slippery, and that the car would be stopped by the police.

You promised that you would bring everything for the picnic, that you would be on time, and not to forget the bug repellent.

Is this sentence parallel?

If the items have different degrees of importance or if they occur at different times, you should order them according to their emphasis or chronology.

Misuse of the drug can result in fever, death, or dizziness.

The telephone is either ringing off the wall and sometimes it’s silent for several days.

Corrected: The telephone is either ringing off the wall or it’s silent for several days.

You should include all the words that are necessary to indicate the items you’re referring to.

In conducting my interview, I talked with the college senior and candidate for the job.

Corrected: In conducting my interview, I talked with both the college senior and the candidate for the job.

You do not need to repeat the same introductory word if it applies to all of the items.

I hope to see you on November 20, December 13, and on January 7.

Look for –ing or –ed constructions Look for constructions beginning

with it, that, to, and you. Look for constructions beginning

with the same prepositions

Look for the voice (active or passive) in construction

Check to see if one of the constructions is more important

If you’ve used a correlative conjunction, check to see if it has a partner (either…or).