英文文法: 无明确对象修饰语(Dangling/Misplaced) Modifiers
Source: Zhihu
(answered by: alexcwlin; edited by: Adam Lam)

Question:

某些一词多义、语法错乱真的是中华文化博大精深的体现，而不是汉语的缺点吗？

如图，英语语法会用that指代前面的东西，您教的东西都是没用的用这种指代不明的语法，当真是博大精深的体现吗？而不是汉语的缺陷？

学生: 你教的都是没用的东西。
老师: 我不许你这样说自己。

alexcwlin comments:

Actually this exchange can be equally humorous in English:

Student: Sir, what you teach are all garbage.
Teacher: Don’t be too hard on yourself (不要对自己太苛刻).

The reason is the pronoun “what” can be referred to either a “person” or a “thing”.

So, when the student means to refer “what” as the materials which the teacher teaches, the teacher humors the student by insinuating “what” refers to the students.

Similarly in English grammar, often confusions could arise if you don’t place your modifiers properly.

These modifiers are called “dangling modifiers” or “misplaced modifiers.

Following are examples:

1.      Inside a mall, Jane found a pretty girl’s purse.

Problem: Is it (a) a “girl’s purse” which is “pretty”, or (b) is it a “purse” which belongs to a “pretty girl”?

Correction: Inside a mall, Jane found a girl’s pretty purse.

2.      My son ate a cold plate of porridge this morning for breakfast.

Problem: Does the adjective “cold” refers to the “plate” or “porridge”?

Correction: My son ate a plate of cold porridge this morning for breakfast.

3.      Going home, the wind is cold.

Problem: Is “the wind” going home?

Correction:
As I am going home, the wind is cold.
Going home, I can feel the wind is cold.

4.      What teachers provide students opportunities to speak in class, they become motivated.

Problem: Are the “teachers” or the “students” motivated?

Correction: When students are provided with opportunities to speak in class, they become motivated.