SAT modifiers: make sure the right noun is doing the action
“Walking to school, the rain soaked Ana” says the rain was walking. Learn the one rule behind dangling modifiers and how to spot the right answer in seconds.
The short version
What you'll take away
- An introductory modifier describes the noun that comes right after the comma.
- Ask who or what is doing the action in the modifier; that noun must come next.
- On the SAT, the answer choices usually differ in which noun comes first. Pick the one the modifier describes.
In this article
The rule: the modifier attaches to the next noun
See the skill
Who is walking to school?
| Sentence | Noun after the comma | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Walking to school, the rain soaked Ana. | the rain | ✗ Dangling: rain can’t walk |
| Walking to school, Ana was soaked by the rain. | Ana | ✓ Correct |
| Walking to school, Ana’s backpack got soaked. | Ana’s backpack | ✗ Dangling: the backpack isn’t walking |
How the SAT tests it
See the skill
Two-step modifier check
Find the action in the modifier
“Having studied the fossils for years” describes someone who studied.
Check the first noun after the comma
Could that noun do the action?
Yes
“…the paleontologist concluded that…” A paleontologist can study fossils.
No
“…the conclusion was that…” A conclusion cannot study anything.
Try one
Your turn
Quick practice
Born in 1867 in Wisconsin, ___ designed more than 1,000 structures over his career. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Hint: Who or what was born in 1867?
Practice: try these before checking the answers
- 1. Excited about the results, the data was shared with the class.
- 2. Covered in snow, we could barely see the mountain.
- 3. After finishing the experiment, the beakers were cleaned by the students.
Sources & further reading
One step from here
Put the idea to work.
SAT Practice helps you turn questions into useful feedback, so each session has a next step.
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