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Starstuff Posted 18 years ago
Grammar

Misplaced Modifiers

0Hi, I have some questions about the effect of a modifer's position on the meaning of a sentence.02br
00Example:02br
00Waving and smiling, John runs toward Kate. (Here, "waving and smiling" modifies John)02br
02br
00John runs toward Kate, waving and smiling. (Now, does "waving and smiling" modify John or Kate? Would most readers be confused?) 02br
00Does the modifier always modify the subject or the closest noun? Thanks. 0-
  

Top answer

02br 00Placing such a modifier (a non-finite clause whose implied subject should be the subject of the main clause) nearer another possible referent opens the sentence to misinterpretation by the reader influenced by proximity. 0-

— Mister Micawber

  • 02br 00Placing such a modifier (a non-finite clause whose implied subject should be the subject of the main clause) nearer another possible referent opens the sentence to misinterpretation by the reader influenced by proximity.
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4 Answers
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0 .02br
00Placing such a modifier (a non-finite clause whose implied subject should be the subject of the main clause) nearer another possible referent opens the sentence to misinterpretation by the reader influenced by proximity. I myself see no confusion: John did it.0-
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0 I am of the opinion that the modifier should be as close to the modified as possible. In this case, there may be some confusion, but I would award 'waving and smiling' to Kate. 0-
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0 Thanks guys. 0-
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0Philip -- you would really interpret "01b00John runs towards Kate, waving and smiling02b00" as meaning that Kate is waving and smiling? I don't see that at all -- I think it would have to be "John runs towards Kate, who is waving and smiling." In the bolded sentence, we don't know anything about Kate -- Kate could be a parakeet, for all we know. John is the one running
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