Who and Whom Part 4

RULE 26:  ILLOGICAL PARTICIPIAL MODIFIER                                                  (DANGLING MODIFIER)

A practical phrase (one containing a [verb + ing] without auxiliaries) can be used to join two sentences with a common subject. When the two phrases do not share common subject,we all the participle phrases an illogical modifier. Actually, the subject of the particle phrase is understood rather than explicit. Consider the following sentences.     

Incorrect:  after jumping out of the boat, the shark bit the man. (we understand that the actual subject of the verb jumping is the man; therefore, immediately after the common, we must mention the man.)

Correct: after jumping out of the boat, the man was bitten by shark.

For clarity, introductory participial phrase must be followed immediately by the noun which is logically responsible for the action of participle. There is no written subject in the participle phrase is preceded by the preposition. The following preposition commonly precede participial phrase.

By        upon       before      after     while

After preparing the dinner, Michelle will read a book.

By working a ten-hour day for four days, we can have a long weekend.

While receiving for the test, Marcia realized that she had forgotten to study the use of participle phrase.

Illogical: attacked by an angry mob, the gashes in the boy’s throat were life-threading.

(Note that attacking means the same as having been attacked.

The actual subject of the verb attacked in the boy: therefore references to him must appear immediately after the comma.)

Correct: Attacked by an angry mob, the boy suffered life-threatening gashing in his throat.

Observe the corrected form of the following illogical participial modifier. Remember that the noun appearing after the comma must be the logical subject of the participial modifier.

Illogical: having apprehended the hijackers, they were whisked off to FBI headquarter.

Correct:  having appended the hijackers, the security guards whisked them off to FBI headquarter. (After the guards had apprehended the hijackers, the guard’s whished.)

Sher Afzal Ranais

Author & Editor

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