Which sentence contains a dangling modifier?

Which sentence contains a dangling modifier?

• A. After reading the report, the conclusions were drawn by the committee.
• B. After reading the report, the committee drew the conclusions.
• C. The committee drew conclusions after reading the report.
• D. Reading the report, the committee drew conclusions.

Answer: (A)

A dangling modifier occurs when an introductory phrase doesn’t have a clear subject to modify, leading to a confusing or illogical link between the modifier and the main verb. In the sentence that starts with “After reading the report,” the phrase seems to describe who read the report, but the main clause says “the conclusions were drawn by the committee.” That makes it look as if the conclusions read the report, which isn’t plausible. The modifier isn’t attached to the correct subject. The other sentences make it clear that the committee is the one performing the action of reading or that the reading happened prior to drawing conclusions, so they’re not dangling. For a corrected version, you could say, “After reading the report, the committee drew the conclusions.” or simply, “The committee drew conclusions after reading the report.”

A dangling modifier occurs when an introductory phrase doesn’t have a clear subject to modify, leading to a confusing or illogical link between the modifier and the main verb. In the sentence that starts with “After reading the report,” the phrase seems to describe who read the report, but the main clause says “the conclusions were drawn by the committee.” That makes it look as if the conclusions read the report, which isn’t plausible. The modifier isn’t attached to the correct subject.

The other sentences make it clear that the committee is the one performing the action of reading or that the reading happened prior to drawing conclusions, so they’re not dangling. For a corrected version, you could say, “After reading the report, the committee drew the conclusions.” or simply, “The committee drew conclusions after reading the report.”