A counselor with a drinking problem? It would be better to write:
One of our executives with a drinking problem has been sent to a
counselor.
The modifying phrase “with a drinking problem” needs to be next
to what is being modified—in this example, “one of our executives.”
How about this sentence:
This memo describes how to protect your possessions from our risk
adjusters.
Thieving risk adjusters? It would be better to write:
This memo from our risk adjusters describes how to protect your
possessions.
Sometimes the meaning is impossible to decipher. Read the following
sentence:
The software engineer has been trying to get us to review his agreement
for six weeks.
Do you see the problem? Because of the placement of the modifying
phrase “for six weeks,” the writer’s intention is unclear. Here are three
possible interpretations:
1. For six weeks, the software engineer has been trying to get us to
review his agreement.
2. The software engineer has been trying to get us to review his sixweek
agreement.
3. The software engineer has been trying to get us to undertake a sixweek
review of his agreement.
Placing the modifying phrase next to the word or phrase that it is
intended to modify solves this problem.