Misplaced Modifiers: What They Are and How to Fix Them

Misplaced modifiers are one of the most common causes of confusion in writing. They occur when a descriptive word or phrase is placed too far from the word it’s meant to modify, which can make a sentence sound awkward or even unintentionally funny.

Whether it’s a single word or a full phrase, a misplaced modifier affects how your message comes across. In this guide, you’ll learn what misplaced modifiers are, how to spot them, and simple ways to fix them for better sentence clarity.

What Is a Misplaced Modifier?

A misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that’s not positioned next to the word it’s supposed to describe. As a result, the sentence may take on a different meaning, or no clear meaning at all.

Modifiers work best when they are placed immediately before or after the word they modify. If there’s too much distance between them, readers might misunderstand your point or get confused.

Example:

❌ She nearly ate a dozen cookies every day.
(This suggests she almost ate them but didn’t.)

✅ She ate nearly a dozen cookies every day.
(This means she ate close to 12 cookies.)

Even small changes in word order can make a big difference in clarity.

Common Types of Misplaced Modifiers

Misplaced modifiers can appear in different forms. Whether it’s a single word or a full phrase, incorrect placement can distort the meaning of a sentence. Here are the most common types:

One-Word Modifiers

Single-word modifiers—often adverbs like almost, just, or barely—can easily change the meaning if placed incorrectly.

Example:

❌ He almost drove his friends to the airport.
(This means he nearly did it but didn’t.)

✅ He drove his friends to the airport almost every time.
(Clarifies that he did drive them, frequently.)

Phrase Modifiers

Phrases that function as modifiers—like prepositional or participial phrases—must be placed near the word they modify.

Example:

❌ Walking through the market, the fresh fruit caught her eye.
(It sounds like the fruit was walking.)

✅ Walking through the market, she noticed the fresh fruit.
(The subject is now clear.)

Clause Modifiers

Sometimes even full clauses can be misplaced, especially in complex sentences.

Example:

❌ The manager said on the call she would approve the budget.
(Did she say it on the call? Or did she say that on the call, she would approve it?)

✅ On the call, the manager said she would approve the budget.
(Clarifies when the statement happened.)

How to Identify Misplaced Modifiers

Misplaced modifiers can sneak into writing unnoticed, especially when the sentence structure seems correct at first glance. To spot them, focus on what the modifier is describing and where it’s placed in relation to that word.

Ask These Questions:

• What is the modifier trying to describe?
• Is it placed immediately next to the word it’s meant to modify?
• Could the sentence be misunderstood or read in more than one way?

Quick Check Technique:

Try reading the sentence out loud. If it sounds awkward or creates confusion, the modifier may be out of place.

Example:

❌ After finishing the homework, the TV was turned on.
(This suggests the TV finished the homework.)

✅ After finishing the homework, she turned on the TV.
(Now it’s clear who finished the homework.)

When in doubt, reword the sentence so the modifier sits as close as possible to the word it modifies.

How to Fix Misplaced Modifiers

Fixing a misplaced modifier is usually a matter of moving it closer to the word it’s meant to describe. The goal is clarity—readers should immediately understand what the modifier refers to without having to guess.

Step-by-Step Approach:

1. Identify the modifier (word, phrase, or clause giving extra detail).
2. Find the word it’s supposed to modify.
3. Move the modifier so it sits directly before or after that word.

Examples and Corrections:

1. Misplaced Word Modifier

❌ She only ate salad for dinner.
(Implies eating is the only thing she did with the salad.)

✅ She ate only salad for dinner.
(Clarifies that salad was the only food she ate.)

2. Misplaced Phrase Modifier

❌ Covered in chocolate, Lisa ate the strawberries.
(This suggests Lisa was covered in chocolate.)

✅ Lisa ate the strawberries covered in chocolate.
(Now it’s the strawberries that are covered.)

3. Misplaced Clause Modifier

❌ He told his friend when the project was due he would email it.
(The meaning is unclear.)

✅ He told his friend he would email it when the project was due.
(The sentence is now clearer and more natural.)

Being intentional about modifier placement keeps your writing clear and helps your reader stay focused on the meaning.

Misplaced vs. Dangling Modifiers

Misplaced and dangling modifiers both affect clarity, but in different ways. A misplaced modifier is in the wrong position within the sentence, too far from the word it is meant to describe. A dangling modifier, on the other hand, doesn’t have a clear word to modify at all, often leaving the reader confused about who or what is performing the action.

For example:
❌ He nearly drove the car for six hours.
(This sounds like he almost drove but didn’t. The modifier nearly is misplaced.)

✔ He drove the car for nearly six hours.
(The sentence now clearly states how long he drove.)

Compare that with:
❌ To win the prize, the rules must be followed.
(This is a dangling modifier—who needs to follow the rules isn’t stated.)

✔ To win the prize, you must follow the rules.
(This revision adds the subject and clarifies the meaning.)

In short, a misplaced modifier is attached to the wrong part of the sentence, while a dangling modifier has nothing to attach to. Both can be fixed by rearranging the sentence to place modifiers next to the words they describe, or by adding the missing subject.

FAQs About Misplaced Modifiers