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Grammar: Difference between revisions

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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 (1920s 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''