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Debpriya De Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

As a gesture

1. Two hundred people lost their jobs as a direct consequence of the merger.

2. We do not accept responsibility but we will refund the money as a gesture of goodwill.

What are the as-phrases in the above two sentences modifying ?

If "as a direct consequence of the merger" were modifying the entire main clause shouldn't it be preceded by a comma ?
  

Top answer

1. jobs'). A comma neither helps nor hinders this interpretation, but a comma would be wrong because the as -phrase is restrictive.

— Mister Micawber

  • 1.
  • jobs').
  • A comma neither helps nor hinders this interpretation, but a comma would be wrong because the as -phrase is restrictive.
  • 2.
  • It modifies the main clause ('we will refund the money').
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3 Answers
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1. It modifies the main clause ('Two hundred...jobs'). A comma neither helps nor hinders this interpretation, but a comma would be wrong because the as-phrase is restrictive.

2. It modifies the main clause ('we will refund the money').
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But aren't the sentence modifiers set off by commas as in

"Regrettably, crime has been increasing in this area."

"To be honest , it was one of the worst books I’ve ever read."

"As we 'd expected, he refused to compromise."
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Fronted adverbials usually are, yes, but that doesn't apply to your sentences. Within the sentence, the situation varies:

Crime has regrettably been increasing in this area.

To be honest, it was one of the worst books I’ve ever read.

He refused to compromise as we'd expected.
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