Disruptive Modifiers

A disruptive modifier, which is always an adverb or adverbial phrase, is a sentence problem occurs when a modifier disrupts the logical connection between a subject and its verb, an auxiliary and its main verb, or a verb and its object. The disruption causes confusion in meaning. Look at the examples.

• Disruptive modifier: The conductor, after wiping sweat from his brow, began the final movement.
• Revised: After wiping sweat from his brow, the conductor, began the final movement.
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• Disruptive modifier: Children will, if they get too tired or hungry, become cranky.
• Revised: Children will become cranky if they get too tired or hungry.

We fix disruptive modifiers by positioning the modifier which stands between the subject and verb. See more examples.

• Disruptive modifier: He kicked hard the ball.
• Revised: He kicked the ball hard.
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• Disruptive modifier: He was instructed to administer every two hours the dosage.
• Revised: He was instructed to administer the dosage every two hours.