Dangling Phrases and Clauses

When phrases or clauses are misplaced in a sentence such that they don’t agree with the subject, sometimes funny or even embarrassing meanings and images will result. Danglers are difficult for us to spot when we write them because we can’t always see that what we have written is not what we meant to express.

Example: While walking across the street, the bus hit her. Did the bus really walk across the street?

Correction: While she was walking across the street, the bus hit her. OR The bus hit her while she was walking across the street.

Example: I have some pound cake that Mollie baked in my lunch bag. Did Mollie actually bake the pound cake in my lunch bag?

Correction: In my lunch bag, I have some pound cake that Mollie baked.