A dangling modifier, a specific case of which is the dangling participle, is an error in sentence structure whereby a grammatical modifier is associated with a word other than the one intended, or with no particular word at all. For example, a writer may have meant to modify the subject, but word order makes the modifier seem to modify an object instead. Such ambiguities can lead to unintentional humour or difficulty in understanding a sentence.
A typical example of a dangling modifier is illustrated in the sentence Turning the corner, a handsome school building appeared. The modifying cla...