Because word order is crucial to the meaning of an English sentence, writers must position modifiers very carefully. Otherwise, readers will misinterpret the intended meaning.

Modifiers (adverbs, adjectives, and phrases and clauses used as adverbs and adjectives) conventionally modify the appropriate grammatical element which is nearest. Misplacing the modifier results in ambiguity or confusion.

 A dangling modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that modifies no specific element in the remainder of a sentence:it simply dangles, unattached. Sometimes it seems to modify an element which is absent; at other times, it seems to modify an element possessing an incompatible grammatical form

 Dangling modifiers--often adverbs or participial phrases--typically appear at the beginnings or ends of sentences.
 

• a dangling verbal phrase:

Hearing the verdict, my spirit sank.

[revised]When I heard the verdict, my spirit sank

• a dangling prepositional phrase:

During adolescence, her father indulged her with diamonds.

 [revised] During her adolescence her father indulged her with diamonds.

 [revised]During adolescence she was indulged with diamonds by her father.

• Dangling elliptical clauses

After studying medicine, a germ becomes much more interesting.

 [revised] After studying medicine, Jonas found germs much more interesting.

 [revised] After he studied medicine, Jonas found germs more interesting.

Determine what word the modifying word, phrase, or clause is supposed to modify; for example, in the sentence below, what does the introductory clause modify?

After only a few days out of the hospital, the stitches were removed.

The reader expects the clause to modify "stitches," but few stitches are released from the hospital--especially after only a few days. Without a word to modify, the clause pathetically dangles.

 You, however, may rush to the rescue by providing the missing word. In this example, the missing word is "dachshund"--as you probably guessed. After only a few days out of the hospital, the dachshund had his stitches removed.

[another possibility] After he had been out of the hospital for only a few days, the dachshund had his stitches removed.

 Thus, to correct a dangling modifier, you may

• add a new subject to be modified [as in the above example]  

• change the subject of the main clause to make the modifier refer to it

Turning crispy brown around the edges yet remaining soft in the middle, the cook will know that the cake has finished baking.

 [revision] Turning crispy brown around the edges, yet remaining soft in the middle, the cake has clearly finished baking.
 

• transform the dangling modifier itself into a phrase or clause

Doused thoroughly with water, one can make sure that the campfire is out.

 [revision] By dousing the campfire with water, one can make sure that it is out.