Oh, how I hate misplaced modifiers. Just now the newsreader on BBC Radio 2 told us that “MPs will debate plans to shut down two-and-a-half thousand post offices this afternoon.” Really? That’s a lot of work for one afternoon.
Annoying as that might be, however, it comes nowhere near beating out my favorite example of all time. Many, many years ago, a local news broadcast from near my hometown reported that an unidentified body had been found in the area. According to the reporter, “The victim was described as only a white man.” Oh, well, in that case …
I embarrassed myself the other day with one of those pesky misplaced modifiers. I said to my friend Melissa, “I was thinking about what you were telling me about that test in the shower this morning.” Melissa snickered and said, “Now Leslie, I thought our showers together were a secret!” Everyone at our table just died laughing while I stuttered to correct myself, “In the shower this morning, I was thinking about what you were telling me about that test.”
And yeah, I did make 100 on the grammar portion of the nursing entrance exam. How? I haven’t a clue! 😀