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→modifier errors: misplaced modifiers
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=== modifier errors: misplaced modifiers === | === modifier errors: misplaced modifiers === | ||
* a modifier that is next to or seemingly modifies the word or phrase | * a modifier that is next to or seemingly modifies the word or phrase | ||
* examples. | * the classic example is an old joke by Groucho Marx (vaudiville and silent film era comedian): | ||
<pre> | |||
"Last night, I shot an elephant in my pajamas. | |||
How he got in my pajamas, I'll never know!" | |||
</pre> | |||
* the joke is about how the prepositional phrase "in my pajamas" incorrectly modifies "elephant" | |||
* other examples. | |||
** wrong: ''The student failed the test in the back of the class'' | ** wrong: ''The student failed the test in the back of the class'' | ||
*** correct: ''The student in the back of the class failed the test'' | *** correct: ''The student in the back of the class failed the test'' | ||