Business Writing Tips from The Writing Center
Business Grammar - Sentence Structure (4)
March 29, 2007
4. Be sure that introductory
verbal phrases describe the subject of the sentence.
Not:
After typing all
day, the secretary's eyes were bloodshot and tired. (The
secretary's eyes can type?!)
But: After
typing all day,
the secretary complained that her eyes were bloodshot and tired.
GRAMMAR TIP: A simple test to
determine whether an introductory verbal phrase is "dangling" is to
state the subject of the sentence first and then insert the introductory
modifying phrase.
If the subject is capable of performing the action, then your sentence
is correct. If the subject cannot logically perform the action, you need
to change the introductory phrase or the subject of the sentence.
Example:
After spewing
paper all over the office,
the secretary turned the copier off..
State the subject: The secretary
Place the introductory phrase after the subject: The secretary,
after spewing paper all over the office . . . .
Was the secretary spewing paper? Of course not.
Rewrite the sentence:
After the copier spewed paper all over the office,
the secretary turned it off.
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This edition was adapted from our
Business Grammar Program.
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