Misplaced Restricters

GMAT Verbal Section -- Misplaced Restricters


Restricters are one word modifiers , they limit the meaning of other words or phrases.Restricters include almost, exactly, even, just, nearly, hardly, merely and scarcely.

Restricter is placed directly before the word or phrase it modifies.

Example of misplaced restricter

My roommate only smiles on weekends.

Literally the sentence suggests that on weekends the roomate does nothing except smiling - he/she does not eats,talks etc.
Since this unlikely the restricter should be placed before its actual headword.There are 3 ways to edit the above example .

Edited 1 - My roommate smiles only on weekends. => He/ She does notsmile on Monday through Friday.

Edited 2 - My only roommate smiles on weekends. => The writer has one roommate, period.

Edited 3 - Only my roommate smiles on weekends. => All the other people the writer knows or sees never smile on weekends.

Squinting Modifiers

GMAT Verbal Section -- Squinting Modifiers

Squinting modifiers create uncertainity by appearing to either of two possible headwords
OR
Squinting modifiers are those modifiers that are placed between two words so that they could be understood to modify either word. e.g

The sight of teenagers hitting each other violently upset an elderly couple.

To clarify the statement, we should move violently, placing it before hitting if that is the correct meaning, or after couple -

Edited A- The sight of teenagers violently hitting each other upset an elderly couple.

Edited B - The sight of teenagers hitting each other upset an elderly couple violently.

Similarly below is another example -

To exercise regularly results in aches and pains.

Edited A - Regular exercise results in aches and pains.

Edited B - To exercise results regularly in aches and pains.

Link -
Squinting modifier

Dangling Modifiers

Dangling Modifiers

A dangling modifier is a modifier without a headword - a word or phrase that it can modify. Since a modifier always needs a headword, it will attach itself to a false one if the true one is not present in the sentence. The result will be a sentence like this:

Listening to the sad news, my eyes filled with tears.

Here the sentence opens with a modifier, the participle phrase, Listening to the sad news. After the modifier, there must be a headword naming the person(s) who did the listening. But instead we come across my eyes. As a result, the sentence seems to say that eyes heard some sad news. (The presence of my hints at the identity of the true headword , but my itself is not a headword. It is a modifier of eyes.).

To clarify the sentence,the writer can do one of two things - rewrite the word group following the modifier, or rewrite the modifier:

Edited A - Listening to the sad news, I felt my eyes filled with tears.

Edited B- As I listened to the sad news, my eyes filled with tears.

For Gmat example of Dangling modifier click on the link below view sentence 24
http://gmatsentencecorrection.blogspot.com

Misplaced Modifiers

GMAT Verbal Section -- Misplaced Modifier

Placing modifiers - In general a modifier must be placed close to its headword - that is the phrase or word it modifies.But different kinds pf modifiers are placed at different positions.

1). Predicate adjectives follow linking verbs.

e.g

i). The days were cloudy.---- Here linking verb is "were" and cloudy is predicate adjective .

ii). The ball was large and red.---- Here linking verb is "was" and large and red is the predicate adjective.

2). Adjective phrases usually follow their headword.

e.g

i). A duffel bag with white lettering was left behind.---- Here "duffel bag" is the headword and with white lettering is the adjective phrase.

3). Adjectives and determiners usually precede their headword.

e.g

i). The child was bouncing a large, red ball.---- Here "the" and "a large, red" are the determiner and adjective preceding their headword "child" and "ball".

4). Adverbs can appear in various places near or next to their headwords.

e.g

i). He always handles the eggs carefully.---- Here the adverbs are "always" and "carefully".

5). Adverb phrases belong near their headword.

e.g

i). They will work on the roof until sundown.---- Here the adverb phrase is "on the roof until sundown" and its headword is "work".

6). Appositives usually belong next to their headword.

e.g

i). One of his jokes, a story about two fisherman lost in Chennai, leaves an audience gasping for breath.---- Here headword is "jokes" and "a story about two fisherman lost in Chennai" is the appositive.

7). Absolute phrases can precede or follow the noun they modify.

e.g

i). Its old timbers shifting, the house creaked.

OR

ii). The house, its old timbers shifting, creaked.

OR

iii). The house creaked, its old timbers shifting.---- In all 3 sentences the noun is "house" and absolute phrase is "Its old timbers shifting".

8). Like adjectives, single participles normally precede their headword.

e.g

i). A piece of broken glass glittered on the path.---- Here "broken" is the single participle before its headword "glass".

9). Participle phrases can appear in various positions.

e.g

i). Waving to reporters, the President looked jubliant.---- Here participle phrase is "waving to reporters" and its headword is "president".

10). Infinitives and infinitive phrases follow the noun or adjective they modify.

e.g

i). Sacket is definitely one film to see.---- Here "to see" to see" is the infinitive phrase following the noun "one film".

Editing misplaced modifiers

Misplaced modifiers do not point clearly to their headwords - the words or phrases they modify.The result is a misleading, confusing sentence.To edit the mistake, move the modifier next to its headword.

e.g

i). Incorrect - There was a pumpkin on the porch witha a
smiling face.
Correct - There was a pumpkin with a smiling face on the
porch.

ii). Incorrect - The final scene two characters who, in the
beginning,had hated each other in a convincing
way.
Correct - The final scene unites in a convincing way two
characters who, in the beginning, had hated
each other.

Tomorrow I will introduce Dangling modifiers, editing of squinting modifiers editing of misplaced restricters, and avoiding of split infinitive with examples.Any queries you are most welcome to ask.