ACCOUNTING

Dangling modifiers occur when a modifying phrase does not connect logically to the word it modifies. For example, “Staring out the window at the sun, the room was warm” is an example of a dangling modifier because the "room" cannot "stare out the window at the sun.” Misplaced modifiers occur when a modifying phrase is placed too far away from the word it modifies. For example, “The sun, the room was warm staring out the window" is an example of a misplaced modifier because the sentence implies that “the sun” was “staring out the window” when it is actually the person in the room. To correct dangling and misplaced modifiers, the modifying phrase must be placed close to the word it modifies. For example, rewrite the sentences like this: “Staring out the window at the sun, the person felt the room warm” or “The person felt the room warm, staring out the window at the sun.” This placement of the modifying phrase clarifies the meaning of the sentence by correctly indicating which subject is performing the action.