I recently asked language expert Paul Stregevsky the following question:
Q: Press critic Jack Shafer recently wrote, “Grown fond of Kelly in the evening, will they really switch to Kelly in the afternoon?”
I completely understand what Shafer is saying, but, from a strict grammatical viewpoint, isn’t this an example of a dangling modifier? Shouldn’t the first word after the comma refer to the viewers — something like this:
“Grown fond of Kelly in the evening, they may not readily switch to Kelly in the afternoon.”
A: I have asked myself this question many times! Without consulting Garner, I would say that the answer is this:
Technically, it is not a dangling modifier because “they” is the grammatical subject.
But, to a careful reader, this construction can disrupt expectations in the same way as a dangling modifier! It looks like a dangler and reads like a dangler.
It’s better avoided. But personally, I would probably use it, then smugly defend it when challenged. :)
Is This a Dangling Modifier?
Posted by Jonathan Rick on Sunday, January 15, 2017
Labels: Grammar
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