Ambiguity and Misplaced Modifiers

Place modifiers next to what they describe.

Examples

• Walking down the street, I saw a dog.

Key rules

• Place modifiers next to what they modify
• Only changes meaning by position
• Participial phrases must be close to the subject
• Rewrite when meaning is unclear

Common mistakes

• I nearly drove 500 miles (didn't) → I drove nearly 500 miles
• He saw a man with a telescope (ambiguous) → Using a telescope, he saw a man