🔹 Modifiers & Word Order: Say It Right
Modifiers—adjectives, adverbs, and modifying phrases—add detail, but they must be placed correctly. Misplaced or dangling modifiers cause confusion or unintentional humor.
Subtopic: The Tricky Dangling Modifier
Wrong: “Walking down the road, the flowers were blooming.” (Were the flowers walking?)
Right: “Walking down the road, I saw flowers blooming.”
Always make sure the modifier is clearly linked to the noun it describes.
Subtopic: Adverb Placement for Effect
Adverbs can move—but where you place them changes the focus.
“She quietly left the room.” (focus on how)
“Quietly, she left the room.” (adds suspense or emotional emphasis)
In literary analysis, this can subtly shape tone.