What a modifier is, in plain English
A modifier is a word or phrase that adds information to another word. Adjectives modify nouns. Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. Longer modifiers include prepositional phrases like in the morning, participial phrases like walking to class, relative clauses like which was approved last year, and appositives like Mr Rahman, my tutor.

Why placement matters for Band 7
Examiners reward clarity and control. Misplaced modifiers cause ambiguity or comedy, and they waste words. Clean placement reduces correction time and lifts coherence.

Core rules that prevent ambiguity

1. Keep the modifier next to what it modifies
   Closest attachment is the safest habit. If a phrase could attach to two nouns, move it or repeat the noun.

• Ambiguous: Students discussed the plan in the library with laptops.
• Clear A: Students with laptops discussed the plan in the library.
• Clear B: In the library, students discussed the plan using laptops.

1. Place focus adverbs carefully
   Words like only, almost, just, even, nearly, merely change meaning depending on position.

• Only I recommended revising the method.
• I only recommended revising the method.
• I recommended only revising the method.
  Three different scopes: subject, act, object.

1. Avoid dangling participles
   A dangling participle is a -ing or -ed phrase with no logical subject.

• Wrong: Walking to the exam hall, the rain started.
• Fix: Walking to the exam hall, I felt the rain start.
  Check by asking: who is walking.

1. Watch for squinting modifiers
   A squinting modifier can look both left and right, changing meaning.

• Ambiguous: Students who revise often improve.
  Often modifies revise or improve.
• Fix: Students who often revise improve.
• Fix: Students who revise improve often.

1. Use which vs that to control extra vs essential info
   That introduces essential information without commas. Which adds extra information with commas.

• Essential: The policy that reduced fees gained support.
• Extra: The policy, which reduced fees, gained support.

1. Prepositional phrase stacking needs staging
   Avoid long trains of of and with.

• Heavy: The training for teachers of primary schools in Dhaka with new labs begins Monday.
• Staged: The training begins Monday. It is for primary school teachers in Dhaka, especially those with new labs.

1. Respect adverb order with auxiliaries
   Frequency adverbs usually sit after be and before other verbs.

• She is often late.
• She often arrives late.
• She has often been late.

Two worked examples with annotations

Example 1 — Focus adverb scope
Original: I almost wrote 250 words.
Meaning: You did not write anything. You came close to writing at all.
Intended: I wrote almost 250 words.
Fix explained: Move almost to modify the number, not the verb wrote.

Example 2 — Participial phrase and appositive
Original: As a student, the report was difficult to finish.
Problem: As a student seems to modify report.
Fix A: As a student, I found the report difficult to finish.
Fix B: I found the report difficult to finish as a student.
Tip: Ensure the -as phrase touches the correct subject.

Mini case — Hasan in Dhanmondi

Problem: Hasan’s essays had vague focus because only drifted around the verb.
Intervention: He ran an Only test. For each sentence, he asked “only what”. If the answer did not match the intended focus, he moved only directly before that word. He paired this with a Participle test: underline each -ing or -ed opener and write the subject right after it.
Result: Ambiguity drops from 8 to 2 per 300 words in two weeks. His band moved from 6.0 to 7.0 in mock scoring.

Measurable drills

• 10 line placement drill
  Write 10 sentences using only, almost, just, nearly, even. For each, label the focus word. Goal: 10 out of 10 correct scopes.
• Five participle repairs
  Write five -ing openers. Add a matching subject right after the comma. Goal: zero dangling items.
• Chunk and stage
  Take one heavy sentence of 25 to 30 words. Split it into two sentences then rebuild into one clear version. Count words saved. Goal: cut at least 10 percent while keeping meaning.
• Squinting clean-up
  Find three sentences with often, usually, frequently. Shift the adverb to remove two readings. Read aloud to check rhythm.

Common mistakes

• Placing a long prepositional phrase between subject and verb.
• Using which without commas when the information is extra.
• Writing although…but in one sentence.
• Stacking three modifiers before a noun: a widely used highly effective low cost method.
• Overusing passive voice to hide the true subject of the modifier.

Edge cases and safe fixes

• Respectively can reduce ambiguity, but only if the order is obvious. If not, write the pairings.
• Not only X but also Y must balance parts: Not only higher fees but also longer delays affected students.
• Such as vs like. Such as introduces examples. Like suggests similarity and can sound informal in academic writing.
• Only with negatives. I do not only study at night can read two ways. Safer: I study not only at night but also in the afternoon.

Tips and tricks

• Read the sentence, then ask “modifier of what”. If the answer is not the closest word, move the phrase.
• Keep only within one or two words of its focus.
• Prefer short left modifiers and longer right modifiers to reduce pileups before the noun.
• If a sentence holds more than two long modifiers, stage the ideas in two sentences.
• In speaking, keep the participle near the subject: Speaking of transport, Dhaka should prioritise buses.

To avoid

• Dangling -ing or -ed openers with no subject nearby.
• Middle position only when you mean to modify the object or the number.
• Multi-preposition chains that hide the core message.
• Changing meaning with a stray comma before that or because.

Glossary

Modifier — a word or phrase that adds information to another word.
Dangling participle — a -ing or -ed phrase whose logical subject is missing.
Squinting modifier — a modifier that can attach left or right, creating two readings.
Focus adverb — words like only, almost, just that change scope.
Appositive — a noun phrase that renames another noun, usually with commas.

Next steps
Take your last essay and highlight every modifier. For each only, write “only what”. For each -ing opener, write the subject that follows. Fix any squints with one move or a short rewrite. Track ambiguity count per 300 words and cut it by half in seven days.

1. Actionable closing — Myth vs fact

• Myth: Only can go anywhere in the sentence.
  Fact: Only must sit next to its focus. Move it to change scope on purpose.
• Myth: Long openers sound academic.
  Fact: Long -ing openers often dangle. Use a clear subject after the comma or shorten.
• Myth: Which and that are interchangeable.
  Fact: That is restrictive with no commas. Which is non-restrictive with commas.
• Myth: More modifiers mean more detail.
  Fact: Extra modifiers often bury the verb. Stage heavy information in two sentences.
• Myth: Respectively always clarifies.
  Fact: It helps only when the parallel order is obvious. If not, write the pairs clearly.

CTA: Run the Only test and Participle test on one paragraph today. Fix three sentences, then rewrite one heavy line into a staged version. Log your ambiguity count and beat it by 20 percent in your next draft.