Meaning & use
dangling participle
A participle phrase that does not clearly or logically modify the noun it is meant to describe.
See it in a sentence
In 'Walking down the street, the trees looked beautiful,' the dangling participle wrongly suggests the trees were walking.
Editors flagged the dangling participle because it made the sentence's meaning unintentionally funny.
A note on using this word
Fix a dangling participle by rewriting the sentence so the participle clearly attaches to the person or thing actually performing the action.
Words with a similar meaning
This term is best learned through its definition and examples.
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “dangling participle”, then compare your use with the examples above.
Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.