dangling modifier

Question

Is this correct:Pulled into the ring, the wrestler who was wearing street clothes distracted the referee.My opinion is that it is incorrect because the wrestler is not actively distracting referee. The referee is distracted by the wrestler.

Feebs11 · Accepted Answer

Correct in what sense? It seems fine to me, so maybe there is missing context.

Ant_222 · Answer

That part is ok because the purpose of the grammar active and passive voice is not what you think.

On some clear day in the late spring, the great weather may distract me from my homework. Should I blame the weather?

Active/passive affects only the grammar structure (subject-verb-object), not the meaning.

ADDON:

In the overwhelming majority of cases you can replace active voice with passive and vice versa, without the loss of meaning, but, probably, with a loss of style/fluency.

Sooris · Answer

The question of dangling modifier arises when you don't know who pulled into the ring. You are right by calling that phrase as a dangling modifier. But the wrestler distracting the referee is clear and there is no ambiguity in that. Also, this has got nothing to do with the dangling modifier.

BarbaraPA · Answer

Hi Tobeme, and welcome to the forums.

Here is a classic style of a misplaced modifier:

With his pink tights and huge bow, the referee was distracted by the wrestler's baby-doll costume.

dangling modifier

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