The dangling participial phrase:

• A dangling participial phrase modifies an idea that is in the writer’s mind but not in the actual sentence, making it unclear what is being referred to by the phrase.

  • Incorrect: “Walking down the street, the sun shone brightly.”
  • Correct: “Walking down the street, I saw the sun shining brightly.”
  • Incorrect: “Driving down the street, the dog ran across the road.”
  • Correct: “Driving down the street, I saw the dog run across the road.”

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