Participial construction: Is this really correct?

Question

Dear teachers and native speakers,I used to think that a sentence like the following is NOT correct because the subject in the main clause and the subject in the subordinate clause are not the same:Example) When editing data, the screen will contain various data fields.*If it is said in a clause, it should be "When you edit data, the screen will contain various data fields."  Therefore, the subject in the main clause and the subject in the subordinate clause are different.However, I have found that an author of one book says that this sentence is correct even though the subjects are different here.  He says that as long as the subject in the subordinate clause (in this example, "you") is "you," the subject in the main clause does not have to be the same.  Is it really correct?  If this is really correct, this is an exceptional rule (besides the cases in absolute participial constructions), isn't it?Hmmm, I have heard that this kind of mistake is frequently seen even among native speakers though....  Someone who is an expert in this field, please, please help me solve this problem.

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

I don't think that that 'rule' is correct, but I have always thought that the dangling participle was permissable in informal writing as long as the meaning is clear.  And it is certainly common among native speakers– too common, in fact, to still consider it incorrect.

Fandorin · Answer

I'm not a dab at it, but I think you have simply ignored one small thing. Your very sentence can be Compound Sentence, where parts can be equitable. While/when are also coordinating conjuctions in Compound Sentence.

Gori · Answer

Hmmm, I did not know that it is very common among native speakers. Surprise to me!

Assuming from your comment, I guess I had better to follow the rule in fomal writing, at least. Thank you very much for your comment. You helped me a lot!

Anonymous · Answer

GoriAssuming from your comment, I guess I had better to follow the rule in fomal writing, at least.....

You may have unknowingly used a participle clause in your last thread. This usage is in fact more common than people realized. How does this sound?

"When approaching any intersaction with no traffic control, we should always slow our vehicles to a complete stop and observe the right-of-way rule before crossing". This is a completely grammatical sentence because a "when " clause is essentially a participle clause (and some view it as adverbial) as it always involves more than one scenario. Therefore, the main clause and the participle clause are sharing the same subject. Usually, the "when" clause can be placed either before the main clause or after.

If we choose not to using this participle structure, we can always make two separate sentence to convey the same thought:"When we approach any intersaction with no traffic control, we should always slow our vehicles to a complete stop and observe the right-of-way rule before crossing".

Do you agree with is approach?

Mister Micawber · Answer

Yes, that sounds OK.

Anonymous · Answer

Hi, Im Mherapril. I am a Filipina English teacher of grammar and conversation here in South Korea. You may not believe me if I say that 2 subjects existing in the subordinate clause and main clause of a sentence respectively can be possible. That is in the presence of participial construction. Try to look at these examples:

1. There being a huge rock, the explorers couldn't enter the cave.

--> As there was a huge rock, the explorers couldn't enter the cave.

Note: There represents the huge rock itself. Therefore, it is the subject in that sentence. On the other hand, explorers is the subject in the main clause.

2. There'll be as soccer game. weather permitting.

--> There'll be a soccer game, if the weather permits.

Note: soccer game is the subject of the subordinate clause and weather is the subject of the main clause.

As you can see, subordinate clause is related to the main clause but it is not actually affecting it since we can create another sentence out of the said clause.

There was a huge rock. The explorers couldn't enter the cave.

There will be a soccer game. The weather permits.

Due to the presence of conjunctions like if, as, because, when and ect. 2 clauses become connected.

I hope this explanation helps you. Email Removed">Email Removed

Participial construction: Is this really correct?

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