about verbs modifying a clause

Question

Would the following sentence be right, if what I wanted to say was, I was telling my friends that the movie was terrible?

I was giving a speech to my friends, showing that the movie was terrible.

The question I have is whether "showing" refers to the friends, as in it really means the friends were showing that the movie was terrible...or is it right, and refers to myself showing that the movie was terrible?

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

Would the following sentence be right, if what I wanted to say was, I was telling my friends that the movie was terrible?

I was giving a speech to my friends, showing that the movie was terrible.

The question I have is whether "showing" refers to the friends, as in it really means the friends were showing that the movie was terrible...or is it right, and refers to myself showing that the movie was terrible?

'Giving a speech' sounds extremely formal, as if you were standing on a stage and they were sitting on chairs listening to you like an audience.

'Showing' is not a suitable word. It suggests they were looking at something.

You could say 'I was sitting on the bus with my friends, telling them that the movie was terrible'.

Best wishes, Clive

Anonymous · Answer

thanks Clive.

CalifJim · Answer

The question I have is whether "showing" refers to the friends

No. It doesn't refer to the friends.

This is just two clauses with a few words elided:

I was giving a speech to my friends, and I was showing that the movie was terrible.

But use something like Clive's improved version instead, for the reasons he has already pointed out:

I was sitting on the bus with my friends, (and I was) telling ...

CJ

about verbs modifying a clause

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