The sphinx represented royal power in ancient Egypt, combining the physical strength of a lion with the wisdom and might of a king.
Why is there a comma before the word 'combining'? I often see a comma before a verb in a sentence. Is there any formal justification for this?
Participle clauses are very frequently set off by commas. It's because they offer extra information or an explanation about the main clause which is not part of the writer's main point. For the given sentence, it's like saying it this way: The sphinx represented royal power in ancient Egypt.
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Participle clauses are very frequently set off by commas. It's because they offer extra information or an explanation about the main clause which is not part of the writer's main point.
For the given sentence, it's like saying it this way:
The sphinx represented royal power in ancient Egypt. That's because it combines the physical strength of a lion with the wisdom and might o