The experiment was a failure, not having studied the lab manual carefully.
(The experiment--the subject of the main clause--is not supposed to study the lab manual.)
⚫Possible revision:
They failed the experiment, not having studied the lab manual carefully.
They often have an -ing word (gerund) or a to+verb (infinitive) phrase near the start of the sentence.
🎫 Squinting modifiers:
Related to dangling modifiers, squinting modifiers occur when the word modified is not clear or could be more than one word. These problems can usually be solved by rearranging the elements already present in the sentence.
Squinting modifier: The mystery has been solved after ten years of the missing portrait.
Possible revisions:
After ten years, the mystery of the missing portrait has been solved.
The mystery of the missing portrait has been solved after ten years.
◼️ Strategies for revising dangling modifiers:
1. Name the appropriate or logical doer of the action as the subject of the main clause:
Dangling:
❎ Having arrived late for practice, written excuse was needed.
Who arrived late?
This sentence says that the written excuse arrived late. To revise, decide who actually arrived late.
☑️ Having arrived late for practice, the captain of the team needed a written excuse.
The main clause now names the person (the captain) who did the action in the modifying phrase (arrived late).
Change phrase that dangles into a complete introductory clause by naming the doer of the action in that clause:
Dangling modifier:
Who arrived late?
This sentence says that the written excuse arrived late. To revise, decide who actually arrived late.
☑️ Having arrived late for practice, the captain of the team needed a written excuse.
The main clause now names the person (the captain) who did the action in the modifying phrase (arrived late).
Change phrase that dangles into a complete introductory clause by naming the doer of the action in that clause:
Dangling modifier:
❎ Without knowing his name, it was difficult to introduce him.
Who didn't know his name? This sentence says that "it" didn't know his name. To revise, decide who was trying to introduce him.
Possible revision:
☑️ Because Maria did not know his name, it was difficult to introduce him.
The phrase is now a complete introductory clause; it does not modify any other part of the sentence, so is not considered "dangling."
⚫Combine the phrase and main clause into one:
Who didn't know his name? This sentence says that "it" didn't know his name. To revise, decide who was trying to introduce him.
Possible revision:
☑️ Because Maria did not know his name, it was difficult to introduce him.
The phrase is now a complete introductory clause; it does not modify any other part of the sentence, so is not considered "dangling."
⚫Combine the phrase and main clause into one:
Dangling modifier:
❎ To improve his results, the experiment was done again.
Who wanted to improve results?
Who wanted to improve results?
This sentence says that the experiment was trying to improve its own results. To revise, combine the phrase and the main clause into one sentence.
Possible revision:
Possible revision:
☑️ He improved his results by doing the experiment again.
