squinting modifier

plural squinting modifiers

1. grammarA modifier that could apply to either the clause that precedes it or the clause that follows it; an instance of amphiboly.

   A squinting modifier makes the meaning ambiguous and is, therefore, an error.

   1983, Marylu Mattson, Sophia Leshing, Elaine Levi, Help Yourself: A Guide to Writing and Rewriting, page 251

   2 more examples

   Do not try to fix a squinting modifier by inserting a comma to make your readers pause.

   1998, Jill Meryl Levy, Take Command of Your Writing, →ISBN, page 228

   For example: “Running on concrete surfaces quickly leads to knee damage.” Owing to the squinting modifier "quickly," this sentence could meant that running at a high rate of speed on concrete surfaces leads to knee damage, or that running on concrete surfaces will very soon lead to knee damage.

   2014, Rachelle Smith, Dominic Marulllo, Ken Springer, CLEP: College Composition, →ISBN