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Anonymous Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

a dangling modifier

0Hi,02br
02br
00I came across this term "a dangling modifier." What exactly is it? And if I understood it correctly and if it is what I think it is, isn't it off-base with the general rules of grammar and in your opinion, why it is allowed? 0-
  

Top answer

0Hi,02br 02br 00Perhaps you are thinking of what is called a 'dangling participle'. 02font 00 Here, the participle 'feeling' is clearly 01i 00attached02i 00 to 'Tom'. 02br 02br 00But now consider 01font 00Looking out of the window, there was a car accident.

— Clive

  • 0Hi,02br 02br 00Perhaps you are thinking of what is called a 'dangling participle'.
  • 02font 00 Here, the participle 'feeling' is clearly 01i 00attached02i 00 to 'Tom'.
  • 02br 02br 00But now consider 01font 00Looking out of the window, there was a car accident.
  • 02br 02br 01font 00isn't it off-base with the general rules of grammar?
  • 02font 02br 02br 01font 00Clarity of meaning sometimes trumps 'rules' of grammar.
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2 Answers
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0Hi,02br
02br
00Perhaps you are thinking of what is called a 'dangling participle'. Consider 01font00Feeling hungry, Tom cooked dinner.02font00 Here, the participle 'feeling' is clearly 01i00attached02i00 to 'Tom'. 02br
02br
00But now consider 01font00Looking
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0Hi,02br
02br
00I'd consider another example, that is heard very frequently today, to be sentences that use 'hopefully' like this. 01font00Hopefully, tomorrow will be a warm day. 02font00'Hopefully' does not really modify anything in this sentence, it is just dangling. Yet we understand the meaning.02br
02br
00B
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