In this lesson we're going to talk about dangling modifiers.
Now this is one of my all time favorite grammatical rules because it's really easy to apply and it allows
you to solve some questions in like three seconds.
OK.
And they even it as hard questions.
So let's tackle a dangling modifier is a dangling modifier is when a clause begins with a phrase or
a file.
Then the subject being described must be directly adjacent.
So what does that mean.
It is a modifier is just like you know as we've been describing it seems like it's not a clause it's
just you know a phrase a bunch of words without a verb.
But it seems to be describing something.
In that case it's a phrase a modifier here the phrase a modifier is flying through the air flying through
the air is describing something.
It's got to be directly adjacent or next to the thing it's describing.
So here it's describing Phil but it's not correct to say that flying through the air feels so absurd
because Phil's not flying through the air.
Right.
It's the bird flying through the air.
So a better way to phrase this would be flying through the air.
A bird was seen by Phil..
Now note we only care about this rule when it begins a clause right at the beginning of this clause
to modify came.
It is a matter of fact that the bath went into the bath.
It doesn't have to be adjacent to the words describing only when it's at the beginning of the clause.
OK.
So take a look at these three examples and it is and try to identify where the phrase the modifier is
and what the subject is for that phrase a modifier pause if you need to.
OK so of course the phrase a modified beating was by studying Harvard.
Students can succeed.
Oh yeah.
The students who are studying hard eaten by a one the Apple rejected by Phil because the apple was eaten
by one.
Finally John saw Jane there's a clause right John saw is a clause.
But now I have a new clause comma but introduce a new clause.
And at the beginning of this clause you'll see oh there's another modifier wearing a hat.
It's at the beginning of this clause.
But so he couldn't see clearly because he's the one wearing a hat.
And of course he refers to John in this case.
All right.
Fairly straightforward.
You know you don't need to pause I think for these examples because right away you know you know that
we're talking about modifiers and we start with one lecturing at the university takes it right away
I see oh a modified describing somebody lecturer at University.
Well let's see which of these choices has something or somebody who lectures at the university begins
with read a verb.
B says the poetry she says her audience.
Margaret.
Margaret Atwood poetry isas Professor Professor Clarke and have all these choices only one of these
can actually actually be lecturing at the university and of course that's a professor.
CLARK So I don't need to read the rest of the answer choices because the only possible choices.
Because only Professor Clarke can be lecturing at the university
go ahead and try this one.
Now pause if you need to.
But again we can see that it's nothing that a new milieu would draw big crowds.
After the comma I should have the subject that's been described.
Who knows that the new movie would draw big crowds.
OK.
So if you pause then I would say now well let's take a look which of these is correct.
Our tickets our tickets by buying we bought to avoid And of course who knew that the new movie would
draw big crowds.
Only D O has somebody who is being correctly modified.
We we are the ones who knew K last examples slightly hotter this time you can pause it only slightly
hot.
This is rated as a five difficulty in the city but it's still super easy.
Ok so after listening to the concertos first movement sounds like a modifier describing somebody who's
listened to the controls first movement.
But wait a second.
I don't go straight to the subject of which clause it's describing the movement.
The first movement which sounded like a medley of every Bajan I'd ever heard.
But this entire clause we ignore because it functions as an adjective to describe the movement.
That's an adjective clause which clauses are adjective clauses don't worry if you don't know what that
means the very next lesson going to talk about that.
OK.
So forget about it if you don't know just know that we can ignore that for now.
OK so the modifier still after listening to the concertos first movement who is listening is to control
his first movement was the second movement was it the beauty and originality.
Was it to my surprise.
No of course not.
It was I was the one listening to the concertos first movement.
So again one of my favorite roles really easy to apply it as long as you're looking at the modifiers
and then you don't even have to really read the instructions very carefully.
You just find the one that has the correct subject.
Here's another example.
Having become frustrated trying to solve difficult problems no colleagues were nearby to share ideas.
Well there's your dangling modifier right.
Who has become frustrated ideas cannot become frustrated so it can't be c..
Now the other choices have you know groups of people I guess.
No colleagues colleagues and I but which of these is the group or person who has become frustrated.
Personally I can tell you that between Abian the from the meaning of the sentence because a and b are
rather illogical.
But you know you don't have to rely on that.
You can see in the next sentence it's referring to I.
It was during this time that I read an article about cohering spaces.
So the answer must be I the.