Rather than trying to explain, I’m simply going to give you some examples.
Have a chuckle while you decipher the underlying principle.
There was a discussion yesterday on the worrying of sheep by dogs in the Minister’s room.
I have discussed the question of stocking the proposed poultry plant with my colleagues.
Lipolysis can occur in the milk of cows when chilled too quickly.
Born two weeks ago, zookeepers feared Shuffles would not live past her first few days.
Previously thought responsible for the damage, scientists found that the coral crab was in reality helping to repair the coral.
Standing just 5’7” tall, the other players nicknamed him ‘Muscles’.
Being a family company, these eggs are produced …
As the person that makes the purchase, Old Spice have recognised that they need to appeal to the female audience.
At only 23 weeks gestation, nursing staff said they had not expected the newborn would survive.
McEwan, an avid hiker, took part in a British expedition interested in climate change to Spitsbergen …
Crown Princess Mary has been given a reported dressing-down from her mother-in-law …
Now, how would you rewrite those examples for clarity?
Not sure about any of the examples?
Leave a comment and I’ll help you out.
I’d love you to share the ‘danglers’ you’ve met – just leave a comment 🙂
sharpening your writing
Word-nerdy blog 
Love these one liners Desolie! Makes me extra careful when writing anything.
Hi Pam
Misplaced phrases are so easy to overlook in our own writing. After all, we know what we mean.
I have a suspicion commentators will steer away from leaving a comment on this one Desolie, for fear of making a similar (inadvertent) blunder!
Thank goodness for editors who can stand afar and see the wood as a whole instead of the tangled mass of thoughts rushing to get out of our heads to hit the page in any order – Creating a middle, an end and a beginning – Or (on occasions) even an end, a beginning and a middle! 😉
Thank you, Linda, for your poetic reply.
These all came from prepared texts (either written or scripted), so there really is no excuse (IMHO). I’m far more forgiving of off-the-cuff spoken comments – even though they give me quite a chuckle. Like the sports commentator who said, ‘… he finished the match on one leg, literally!’ even though I had seen the cricketer using both legs. Ah well!
Let me know when you find more to add to my collection 🙂