How Do You Differentiate Between Absolute Phrase And Misplaced Modifier?
Many writers and grammar students easily confuse and interchange misplaced modifiers, which are incorrect usages of modifiers, and absolute phrases, which stand apart from a sentence but are correct forms of use. It’s important to distinguish between the two to formulate sentences correctly. Check to see if the grammatical object in question is set apart from the sentence (both grammatically and semantically) or not, since absolute phrases are always set apart by commas or dashes, while misplaced modifiers are usually well integrated into the sentence. Identify the absolute phrase, versus the misplaced modifier, by asking if it clearly modifies the main topic of the sentence or not. For example, in the sentence, “Its old glass glowing, the lantern sat on the porch,” begins with an absolute phrase. In the construction, “There was an old lantern sitting on the porch with its old glass glowing,” the phrase is now a misplaced modifier since it’s unclear whether the glowing old glass refers
