Download Cl!IAPTER2 THEORETICAl" FRAMEWORK Definilioll of Modifier

Cl!IAPTER2
THEORETICAl" FRAMEWORK
Definilioll of Modifier
Oftentimes, many people use mcldilier to reduce clause, in order to make their
wr:itm:g
shorter or simpler and beeome easy-to-understand for the readers. According
to Kindlien, C.T. (2000: 469), "A word or word group thai describes is a mo>difiu.
Modifiers make sentences more vivid
interesting."
]?.,,l¥w Modifiers
l'h(mgb, 1he uses of modifiers are importar. as wnat is mentioned at the
GU(}tation above "modifiers make sentences more vivid and int.eresting." Peoples,
especially students
use it, because there are three
must be careful
of
faulty modifiers that could be happened:
Mi!rplt!OC€d Modifien
If the modifier seeres to modifY the wrong word, it is called
misplaced.Misplaced modiliters are often unintentionally funny.
E.g.
: Orwell shot
elephant under pressured circumstances.
(Actually, whc was
is Orwell, not the elephant)
Modifier (Put the modifier near what it modifies)
(Barnet & Stubbs's, 1983: 294)
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b) Squmti11.g Mmllifielr!l
modifier is ambiguous, tlmt is, if it can. be applied equally to
more tt1an one
it is sometimes called a squinting modifier. It seems
to look forward, and it seems to look backward.
: Students
may use this elevator. (Does "only" modicy
students?
so, no one else may use the elevator. Or does
modifY elevator? If so, students may use no other
elevator.)
students may use this elevator.
Revised
Students may use only this elevator.
: the word only often squints. In general, pt:t only
Note
i:m:!E.ediateiy before the wo:d o:phrase it modifies.
it appears too early in the sentence.
(Barnet & Stubbs's, 1983:295)
c) D:mgimg m(]ldifien
ter:n it should modify appears nowhere in fue sentence, the
mcldiJtier is eal)ed dangling.
: Being small, his ear scrapped. against the belt when rJs
father stumbled. (Actuaily, fue writer meant fuat the boy
was small, not the ear.Eut fue boy is not in the sentence)
Revised
: Because tbe boy was small his ear scraped against the
belt when his father stumbled.
Being small, the boy scraped his e& against the belt
when his father si:uirnbl[ed.
(Barnet & Stubbs's, 1983: 296)
rese=h, the v.'Titer chooses to analyze the problem on 'dangling
modifier'. Because as what is mentioned on chapter 1, that 'stodents are expected to
be able to write a good writing. A good writing is not only interesting, but also have
to
easy to comprehenLl.' According to Bram (1995: 33), Conciseness
concise
as few words as possible, the
!S
as possible. To be econowical,
,,;;,,T must not
sacrifice the clarity of the me:sSf ge to be expressed in the sentence."
;r,ake the goal reached.
have to learn more about dangling
erumg;e Lie intended meaning of
that lead to mismu:l.ers"c&"lding.
"'
are some defrnitions of dar1gling
the tenn it should modify appear nowhere in the sentence, the modifier is
called dangling. (Bal[llet & Stubb's, 19!!3: 296)
dangling modifier (DM) is a reducc'd clause which does not have the
verb 'to dangle' means 'tc hang
same subject as the main clause does.
loosely'; to refer to someone or something unclearly. (B:rnm, 1995: 33)
®
A modifier with no stated word to describe
modifiers
1mpmr
(Clouse,1999:469)
meaning
a dangling modifier. Dangling
often
create
silly
sentences.
9
,.
Dangling I:lC>di1ier:s: a modifier "dangleswhen it is not clearly reLated to
some word
sentence. Verbal p!h-ases are especially liable to iliis often
silly error. (IGndlieiL C. T.,l982: 132)
Dai1gling
modifiers are usually participial phrases, structures made of the
present or past participle of a verb (writing or wished) and an object ar
at1other phrase. (Roloff & Wylder, 1978: 133)
.. A
is a phrase or clause that does not sensibly describe any
speeific word
its sentence. (Stanley, Shimkin. & Larmer, 1988: 451)
on the above, the vvTiter concluded, dangling
Based on some
modifier is a modifying phrase that has no word to refer to (to describe). It confusing
the readers and
sentence become
to misunderstandings. Sometimes, it can the meaning
or creares
the
sentence. Whereas, tl1e real f1lllction of it is to
modify the subject of the main clause. But Lhe fact is it modifies nothing.
usually
placed in the be!,lirrnircg of the sentence as an introductory modifier.
2.3 Methods to Revise Dangling Modifiers
There are two prima;-:y ways to revise a dangling modifier:
1. Leave
modifier as it is and supply a word for ilie modifier to
word should appear immediately after the modifier.
Sulbordir:tate clause
(DM)
s
Main Clause
to. This
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Revised: After drinking too much coffee, a student who is stressed out may
s
Subordinate clause
(Modifier)
exhibit signs of fatigue.
(Clouse, 1999:469)
2. Rewrite the modifier as a subordinate clause.
Faulty: After drinking too much coffee, signs of fatigue may be exhibited by
Subordinate clause
(DM)
s
Main Clause
a student who is stressed out.
Explanation: The subordinate clause here, as the introductory modifier for the
main clause. But the subject of the main clause is not modified by it
(introductory modifier). Therefore, the modifier can be said "dangles."
Revised: After a student who is stressed out drinks too much coffee, signs of
fatigue may be exhibited by him or her.
(Clouse, 1999:470)
2.4 Wll.en Dangling Modifiern Often Occur
According to William (1985: 76), "Usually dangling modifiers are verbal placed
at the beginning of the sentence." Still based on William (1985: 35), "verbal are verb
fonns that cannot function as sentence verbs; :rather they function as nouns, adjectives
and
adverbs. These forms include gerunds (-ing ending), present participles (-ing
ending), past participle (usually --ed ending), and infinitives (to before verb)."
H
As the above information, the writer concludes "dangling modifiers'' often occur
sentences begi;:l with a::t-ing verb form (present participle). However, a dangling
t verb torm
modifier can also occur v.1len a sentence be ;ins with an -ed, -en, -n, or
(past psrticiple) or v.11en it begi;:ls with the present-tense verb fo:rm used
to
(infinitive).
Uanglw.g modifier
(Present participle) : Cooking in the kitchl::'!l, a cat stoic the fish.
DM
Main clause
:If the sentence likes the above, "cooking" modifies cat,
and the meaning of the sentence become: the cat that was
cooking
Revision
the kit,che;n
steals the fish.
: While ill(tth!:r was cooking
the kitchen, a c-a.t stole
fis!:t.
Dangling modifier
participle)
: Having flilisht::<l'i:l:le assignment, the TV
DM
Explanation
v.'llS
rumed on.
Main clause
: If the sentence likes the above, the sentence meaning
become strange. "Having finished" modifies TV. Because
there is no specific subject mentioned as the one who
fmished the assignment a.Y!d turned on the TV.
Revision
:Having finished the assignment, John turned on the TV.
Noun
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this sentence is "John", the
: By supply a noun,
sentence seems logicaL "John" here as the one who
:finished the assignment and also turned on the TV.
Dangling modifier
(Infmitive)
DM
Main clause
: Here, "to pass the exam" modifies much exercise. This
sentence loaks strange.
:To pass the exam, students need much exercise.
Noun
Explanation
: To revise it, the ,m9it,. could supply a word (noun or
pronoan.) for
2.5 Some Basic Definition
readers know more about what dangling modifier is, it is necessary to
know about some basic definition that are related to the topic, from general into
specific.
A sentence is a group of words that contains a subject and a predicate.
The subject names the person, thing, o:r concept
the sentence is about. The
predicate makes a statement or asks a question about the subject:
p
(Prentice-Hall, 1985: 4)
2.5.1.1Four
Sentence Pattern§
Sentences
English
are
traditionally
described
as
sLrnple,
eo:C!tp:ound, cmnp!ex, or compound complex.
·A simple sentence has a single subject-verb combination.
The
My car h;;lthree times last week.
has been p()llnted l:Jy several neighboring streams.
A
sertl.ence may have more than one subject:
and
TI1e
Or more
drove home.
and water dried my hair.
one verb:
and ;waved at us.
Or se'ren'll subjects
verbs:
and Jack lubricated my car,
the oil filter, and
plugs.
(Langan,1999:467)
A coJ:npon11d, or "double," sentence is made up of two (or more) simple
sentences.
two complete s'catements in compou11d sentence are
usually co1mected by a comma plus a joining word (and, but, for, or, nor,
so, yet).
A compound sentence is used vihen people want to give equal weight
to two closely related ideas. The teelwique of showing that ideas
equal i.nrpo;"tartce is called coordination.
ideas
mcr cse<i, so the oBeials cancelled the game.
(Langan, 1999: 468)
A
sentence is made up of a simple sentence (a complete
statement) and a siatement that begins with a d,..,1Jendent word.* Here is a
list of common dependent words:
If, even if
in order that
As
Because
that, so that
mu.ess
Evon thO'Ilg.l:l.
until
what, whatever
when., whenever
where, wherever
whether
which, whichever
while
who
whose
A C{)mplex sentence is used when you want to emphasi7..e one idea
over another in a sentence. Look at the following complex sentence:
Because I forgot the time, I missed the final exam.
The idea that the writer wants to enphasize here--f missed the final
exam--is expressed as a complete thought. The less important ide&Because 1 forgot the time--is subordinated to the complete thought.
The technique of giving one idea less emphasis than another is called
subordination.
FolloVving
a.'"e
other examples of co1nplex sentences.
case,
the p"rt s:&1:ing witc'I the dependent word is the less emphasized
of
t_qe sentence
Whiie Sue was eatir,g breald'ast, she began to feel sick.
I checked my money before
r invited
When Jerry lost his temper,
also lost his job.
for lunch.
Although I practiced for tr,ree months, I failed my dri.ving test.
*
The two parts of a complex sentence are sometimes called an independent
clause and a dependent clause. A cla:use is simply a word group that contains
a subject and a verb. An independent clause does not express a complete
thought in itself and "depends on" the independent clause to complete its
meaning. Dependent clauses always begin with a dependent or subordinating
WO!"d.
Larrga:n, 1999: 470)
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d) The Compomul-Complex Sentence
A compound-complex sentence is made up of two (or ::nore) simple
sentences
one (or more) dependent statements. In the following
examples, there is a solid line under the simple sentences and a dotted
line under 1he de;Jen.de11t stateinents.
-I. '1'! 'Hl?.l!!<l:l\!\!!.f<.<UQ:willg_aj.;mgjlJJ1e_:;sthe math instructor
g§:! !Jli;Cl!l LY!'Q.!:!, Q!lt the history instructor made me drop her
course.
(Langan, 1999: 474)
A clause is a group of words containing a subject and a predicate. The
relation of a clause to the rest of the sentence is shown by the position of the
clause or by a conjunction. There are two kinds of clauses:
(1) Mlllililt or indepelrnJ.llent clauses. A main clause has beth subject and
verb, but it is not introduced by a subordinating word. A main clause
:nakes an inde ;endent statement. It is not used as a noun or as a
modifier.
(Prentice-HaiL 1985: 16)
(2) 'Su!borolna:te cllau:ses. Subordinate clauses are usually introduced by a
subordinating ronjunction
pnmo'un (who,
since, because, etc.) or by a relative
that). Subordinate clauses function as adjectives,
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It may serve as subject, predicate
object of a verb, or object
of a preposition.
vflhat you need is a vacation.
subordinate clause is the subject of
theve:b tsJ
This is where we came in. [the sullordinate clause is a predicate noun.]
Please tell them I will be late. [The subordinate clause is the
o ject ofthe verb tells.]
I have no interest in what I am reading. [The subordinate clause is
object of the preposition
(Prentice-Hall, 1985: 17)
Phrase is a group of related words
has no su ect or predicate and is
used as a single part of speech. Typical phrases are a preposition (Prepositional
phrase) and
object (I feel on the
siC!":w1l.!J<), or a verbal (Verbal phrase) and
its object (I wanted to sec the parade).Pbrases are usually classified as
prepositional phrases, verbal plrrascs,
pbr-ases; noun phrases infinitive, and
abSOIU1tephrascs.
(Prentice-Hall, l985: 13)
.;;.:•!.:t.• lPrepe§i.tiorud
Phrases
Prepositional phrases consist of a preposition followed by its object,
and any modifiers of the object (under the growul, without thinking, in the blue
Ford).
Prepositional phrases
occasionally as noJL'1S.
function as
adjectives or
adverbs and
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He is a mart of action.
The plane rrive:d on time. [Adverb modif}ing arrived]
(Prentice-Hall, 1985:14)
2.5.3.2 Ver'b111 Phrases
Writer must be careful not to confuse verbs and verbal. Verbal are
cannot function as sentence verbs; rather, they
special verb
function as nouns,
adverbs. These forms include genmds (-
ing ending), pre:ser;t p.articiiJ'les (-ing ending), past participle (usually -ed
ending),
object and mc:diiier;s. The verbal is generally the first v<iord of the phrase.
The three types
phrases are participial phrases, gerund phrases,
(William H. R, 1985: 35)
2.5.3.2.1Participial Phrnses
phrases consist of a present or past
followed by
pa.'iicip!e
modifiers. Pruiicipial phrases function as adjectives.
Present participles have an -ing ending, and past participles usually
have -ed en•ll::lgs.
doctor entered the emergency room.
pre:scrlt pam.Cip!ll!l phrase modifies doctor.}
The car parked near the stadium is in front of a fire hvd:rant.
[The
participial phrase modifies car.]
(William H. R, 1985: 35)
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A gerund is fue -ing form of a verb fuat functions as a
noun. It consis"tS of a gerund plus its object
Fishing in the river is hls idea of fun. [The gerund phrase is the
subject of the sentence.]
(William H.
R 1985: 35)
"'·"··;:;.,.,.:d:,liiFhifrves Pl!t:rase
An infinitive is the form of 1he verb tria:t can be preceded
natll!llLIJ.y by to. An infinitive phrase consists of an irJinitive and
mc;diJ]ers. The infinitive phrase may function as a noun,
en acjective, or an adverb.
'"i'"r likes ta eat lobster. [Noun]
person 1:0 lead ns must be h"ltelligent. [Adjective]
conductor ran to catch hls train. [Adverb}
(William
A
such as
1985: 35)
is not to be confused l'l!ith a verbal phrase. Auxilia..ry verbs
have, has, had, do, does, did, and
of be, are used
wilh main verbs to indicate tense and emphasis. Combinations of the
at;Jdliari<lS and the main verb are called verb phrases.
1will be goi"lg soon.
John has gone already.
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and v.111 are called medals (n.elping
Auxiliaries such as can, could, may,
verbs) and combine with the main verb to indicate such qualities as necessity,
obligation, and pennission. The two kinds of auxiliaries can work together to
form more complex verb phrnses.
I may have been going.
(William
1985:35)
2.5.3.4 N11un Phrases
A no= phrase consists of a main noun, or headword,
combinatio:1 of determi11ters
a
modifiers. you mll need to isolate the
headword of a noun phrase, that is, the si:nple subject of the senct<entce, in
order to understand subject and verb agreement.
A load of books is in the wagon. (Note that the singular verb agruns
number wiL'l t.he headword load, also singular, and not the plural hooks
which is the object of a pn: positi,on.J
(William H.1985: 35)
"'· '-'·" A.bseli!te Phrnses
Absolute phrases modifY v.tlole sentences rather
words or word groups. In
individual
sense they are absolutely alone. Absolute
phrases usually consist of at leas! a participle and its subject. They are not
grammatically related to sentence by a conjunction.
The storm ha:ving subsided,
sailors cast off.
(William
R, 1985: 36)