This month I’m discussing misplaced modifiers. Boring stuff, I know, but it can make for some comical—or embarrassing—reading.
I think everyone understands the definition of misplaced; however, modifiers might be a bit elusive.
Merriam-Webster Online Unabridged Dictionary gives this definition: “a word or phrase that makes specific the meaning of another word or phrase.”
Modifiers give more depth of meaning to a word that either precedes it or follows it. I think misplaced modifiers are often difficult to spot because 1) we know what we mean when we write it; 2) we tend to put things in the wrong order; and 3) we often speak them in a misplaced manner.
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