Avoiding Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers

What you’ll learn

Make the target of a modifier unmistakable.

កែឃ្លាពង្រីកដែលយោងប្រធានខុស ឬនៅទីតាំងច្រឡំ។

Meaning and use

A dangling modifier lacks the intended subject in the main clause. A misplaced modifier sits where it can attach to the wrong phrase. Repair these by naming the doer, moving the modifier next to its target, or restoring a full clause. Grammatical brevity is useful only if readers can recover the intended meaning.

Dangling modifier កើតពេលប្រធានឃ្លាមេមិនមែនអ្នកធ្វើសកម្មភាពក្នុងឃ្លាខ្លី។ ដោះស្រាយដោយដាក់អ្នកធ្វើឱ្យច្បាស់ ផ្លាស់ទីឃ្លា ឬសរសេរជាឃ្លាពេញ។

Grammar patterns

Pattern	Example or form
Shared subject	Walking home, I noticed the damage.
Full-clause repair	While I was walking home, the rain began.

Examples

1. After reading the report, Maly found two errors.

   បន្ទាប់ពីអានរបាយការណ៍ ម៉ាលីបានរកឃើញកំហុសពីរ។

2. While we were crossing the bridge, the storm began.

   ខណៈយើងកំពុងឆ្លងស្ពាន ព្យុះបានចាប់ផ្ដើម។

3. I saw a man carrying a ladder.

   ខ្ញុំបានឃើញបុរសម្នាក់កំពុងយួរជណ្ដើរ។

4. She served tea to the guests in blue cups.

   នាងបានចាក់តែក្នុងពែងពណ៌ខៀវឱ្យភ្ញៀវ។

Everyday conversation

Dara: What is wrong with Walking home, the rain started?

Maly: It makes the rain seem to be walking. Write While I was walking home, the rain started.

Common mistakes

Instead of	Use	Why
Having read the report, two errors were obvious.	Having read the report, I noticed two obvious errors.	The reader, not the errors, must be the subject.
She photographed a child with a telescope. (intended: child held it)	She photographed a child who was holding a telescope.	The full clause removes the attachment ambiguity.

Practice

Try these questions before opening the answers. Write or say each answer.

សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។

1. Repair: Driving to work, a tree blocked the road.
2. Repair for the intended reader: After checking the figures, the report was submitted by Maly.
3. Why is I saw the teacher with binoculars ambiguous?

Answers and explanations

Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ

1. While I was driving to work, I saw that a tree blocked the road.

   Naming the driver prevents a dangling modifier.

2. After checking the figures, Maly submitted the report.

   The main subject now performs both actions.

3. Either I used binoculars, or the teacher had them.

   The modifier can attach to different parts; specify the intended relationship.

Quick recap

• Shared subject: Walking home, I noticed the damage.
• Full-clause repair: While I was walking home, the rain began.