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Jooney Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
Participial clause
Hi,
ex1) They surprised me, turning up totally uninvited.
The cause of the surprise is expressed in the participial clause, where as the result is denoted in the main clause. I'm wondering if it is possible to rearrange the relationship in the following way:
ex2) They turned up totally uninvited, surprising me.
This time the cause is expressed in the main clause, with the result being shown in the participial clause. What hasn't changed is that they all refer to the same event.
Q1) Is this type of rearrangement possible?
ex3) They surprised me by turning up totally uninvited.
Q2) Can this sentence be a replacement for example 1? I'd like to know whether a "by-phrase" can be another way of expressing the cause for the result shown in the main clause.
I'd appreciate your help. Thank you.
ex1) They surprised me, turning up totally uninvited.
The cause of the surprise is expressed in the participial clause, where as the result is denoted in the main clause. I'm wondering if it is possible to rearrange the relationship in the following way:
ex2) They turned up totally uninvited, surprising me.
This time the cause is expressed in the main clause, with the result being shown in the participial clause. What hasn't changed is that they all refer to the same event.
Q1) Is this type of rearrangement possible?
ex3) They surprised me by turning up totally uninvited.
Q2) Can this sentence be a replacement for example 1? I'd like to know whether a "by-phrase" can be another way of expressing the cause for the result shown in the main clause.
I'd appreciate your help. Thank you.
Top answer
ex1) They surprised me, turning up totally uninvited. The cause of the surprise is expressed in the participial clause, where as the result is denoted in the main clause. I'm wondering if it is possible to rearrange the relationship in the following way: ex2) They turned up totally uninvited, surprising me.
- ex1) They surprised me, turning up totally uninvited.
- The cause of the surprise is expressed in the participial clause, where as the result is denoted in the main clause.
- I'm wondering if it is possible to rearrange the relationship in the following way: ex2) They turned up totally uninvited, surprising me.
- This time the cause is expressed in the main clause, with the result being shown in the participial clause.
- What hasn't changed is that they all refer to the same event.
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4 Answers
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ex1) They surprised me, turning up totally uninvited.
The cause of the surprise is expressed in the participial clause, where as the result is denoted in the main clause. I'm wondering if it is possible to rearrange the relationship in the following way:
ex2) They turned up totally uninvited, surprising me.
This time the cause is expressed in
The cause of the surprise is expressed in the participial clause, where as the result is denoted in the main clause. I'm wondering if it is possible to rearrange the relationship in the following way:
ex2) They turned up totally uninvited, surprising me.
This time the cause is expressed in
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Thank you very much for the reply, CJ. Could you please explain why example 3 is better than example1? Is it because it conveys the message more clearly?
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jooney Is it because it conveys the message more clearly?Yes. It's more usual to show how something came about with a 'by' clause like that rather than omitting 'by'.
CJ
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