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Sample of combining sentences; Need advice.



Leighspire 1 / -  
Jun 23, 2009   #1
could some one give me a sample of a combined sentence
dangled modifier
passive voice

EF_Sean 6 / 3459  
Jun 23, 2009   #2
You can Google the terms to find examples of all of these things easily enough.
EF_Simone 2 / 1974  
Jun 23, 2009   #3
Dangling modifier:

After looking at the numbers, the economic forecast appears grim.

The phrase "after looking at the numbers" applies to... who? Nobody in the sentence. The noun it should modify is absent. Therefore, it is a dangling modifier.

To fix that sentence, we could say:
After looking at the numbers, I see that the economic forecast is grim.

Now the noun that the clause modifies is where it should be, right next to the clause.

Passive voice:

A suggestion was made by the customer that the service be improved by the manager.

Here we have two examples of passive voice in the same sentence. To fix it, we say:
The customer suggested that the manager improve the service.

There are so many different ways to combine sentences! You're better off consulting a grammar guide where you can see several examples of all of the different ways.
EF_Sean 6 / 3459  
Jun 23, 2009   #4
Hey, would your example be a dangling modifier, or a misplaced one? It does in fact apply to something -- the economic forecast. It's just the wrong thing. Or is that just another term for the same thing? It's been awhile since I studied formal grammar.
EF_Simone 2 / 1974  
Jun 23, 2009   #5
It does in fact apply to something -- the economic forecast.

No, the economic forecast did not look at the numbers. A forecast cannot look at numbers. The person looking at the numbers does not appear in the sentence; hence the modifier is dangling.
Notoman 20 / 414  
Jun 23, 2009   #6
Here's a link to an article on dangling modifiers. I have to admit that I still don't fully grasp the idea. I am at risk of leaving a few modifiers dangling precariously in my future.

owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/597/01/
EF_Sean 6 / 3459  
Jun 24, 2009   #7
No, the economic forecast did not look at the numbers.

Exactly, which is why I said it modifies the wrong thing. However, according to the sentence, the economic forecast did look at the numbers. That is, the modifier modifies what it always does, the noun that follows it immediately after the comma. This is what I was taught was a misplaced modifier. I guess referring to it as a dangling modifier makes more sense though, as the thing that needs to be modified is actually missing, and so there is no way to actually fix the sentence merely by moving the modifier about.
EF_Simone 2 / 1974  
Jun 24, 2009   #8
I guess referring to it as a dangling modifier makes more sense though, as the thing that needs to be modified is actually missing

Precisely. That's the difference between a dangling modifier and a misplaced modifier. If you look up examples of dangling modifiers, you'll find many in the same form as my example.
KathyLala 20 / 114  
Dec 2, 2010   #9
Combination words (like: text book vs textbook OR work place vs workplace)?

Hi people!
Sometimes I don't know some combination words such as text book or textbook, work place or workplace???? Both are correct or what?
nikamonster 9 / 29  
Dec 4, 2010   #10
According to Merriam-Webster, the combined form of these words-textbook and workplace-is the correct form.
EF_Kevin 8 / 13052  
Dec 16, 2010   #11
Cool! Thanks,Nikamonster!

Yes, that seems right. And with a lot of words like this, you can get away with doing what you want because the reader is not sure either!

But usually you can put words together if they are commonly used together.
yumigip 1 / 2  
Mar 2, 2013   #12
Need help to combine two sentences!

(please help me to combine 2 these sentences. I'm having a hard time to combine this.)

The woman was called the bridegroom's "sister." The bridegroom was called her "brother".
butter 1 / 3  
Mar 2, 2013   #13
The second sentence seems simply redundant. If the woman is bridegroom's sister, then isn't it pretty obvious that the bridegroom is her brother?
Didgeridoo - / 289  
Mar 25, 2013   #14
You can use either one of the sentences and you don't need the other one.

Ex. "The woman was the bridegroom's sister." or "The bridegroom was the woman's brother."


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