Can "present participle" and "to infinitive" be set off by commas to use them non-restrictively?
1. Erika rides the bus, billowing black exhaust into the air.
2. "I soon finished the article, to be published later that day." = "...which would be published later that day."
3. "A doctor, to be given an award, will speak at the event." = "...who will be given an award..."
I'm curious to know whether it can be possible to use "present participle" and "to infinitive" non-restrictively by setting off them with commas as shown in the sentences above.
In sentence 1, "billowing black exhaust into the air" is connected to "the bus", and in sentence 2 and 3, "to be published later that day" and "to be given an award" are connected to "the article" and "A doctor".
And might there be any differences in meaning if the commas are dropped?
Top answer
None of those are natural native English. The first can be read as Erika is billowing smoke. The second and third do not seem grammatical.
- None of those are natural native English.
- The first can be read as Erika is billowing smoke.
- The second and third do not seem grammatical.
- 1.
- Erika rides the bus which billows black exhaust into the air.
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None of those are natural native English.
The first can be read as Erika is billowing smoke.
The second and third do not seem grammatical.
1. Erika rides the bus which billows black exhaust into the air. (That is the particular bus that she uses.)
2. I finished writing the article so it could be published later that day.
3. The doctor being given an award will spea
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