How to avoid dangling modifiers

Dangling modifiers have no referent in the sentence. Many of these result from the use of the passive voice. By writing in the active voice you can avoid many dangling modifiers.

For example:

Incorrect: After separating the participants into groups, Group A was tested.
Correct: After separating the participants into groups, I tested Group A.
Comment: [I, not Group A, separated the participants into groups.]

Incorrect: The participants were tested using this procedure.
Correct: Using this procedure, I tested the participants.
Comment: [I, not the participants, used the procedure.]

Incorrect: To test this hypothesis, the participants were divided into two groups.
Correct: To test this hypothesis, we divided the participants into two groups.
Comment: [We, not the participants, tested the hypothesis.]

(adapted from the fifth edition of APA's Publication Manual, © 2001)

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