What is a Dangling Participle?
A dangling participle can cause quite a bit of confusion (and maybe some unintended humor!) in one’s writing. A dangling participle occurs when a participial phrase is not followed by a noun that it can modify.
Examples of Dangling Participles
Deleting the last of the spam emails, my inbox was finally clean.
Correction: Deleting the last of the spam emails, I had finally cleaned my inbox.
After spending all day playing in the snow, the crackling fireplace brought much needed warmth.
Correction: After spending all day playing in the snow, we received some much needed warmth from the crackling fireplace.
Taking the last bite of turkey from Thanksgiving dinner, a long nap would surely follow.
Correction: Taking the last bite of turkey from Thanksgiving dinner, I would surely be in for a long nap.
Dangling Participles in Context
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Watch this video to better understand dangling participles!
Why You Should Avoid Dangling Participles in Your Writing
As a writer, you want to have credibility with your audience, and to achieve that, it’s important that you avoid dangling participles in your writing. Remember that a participle is a form of a verb that functions as an adjective, so be sure that the noun or pronoun your particple is describing is being correctly referenced. If not, you may just cause some unintended humor!
Download a Free Worksheet on Dangling Participles!
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