Participle phrase and the use of comma

Question

1) What's the difference between these phrases.

-The blog, which was hosted on servers located in the U.S, was removed and was sensored.
-The blog hosted on servers located in the U.S, was removed and was sensored.
-The blog, hosted on servers located in the U.S, was removed and sensored.

and

-Searches undertaken in June 2001 showed decreasing in petrol price, caused by uprising in the crude oil country producers.
-Searches, undertaken in June 2001, showed decreasing in petrol price, caused by uprisings in the crude oil country producers. (Does 'caused by' modify the entire clauses?)

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

What's the difference between these phrases.-- A and C are the same in meaning. B is odd, since it states that only one blog is hosted on US servers. 'Censored' is spelt thus.

a -Searches undertaken in June 2001 showed decreasing petrol prices, caused by uprising in the crude oil country producers-- Only the surveys in 6/01 showed this.
b -Searches, undertaken in June 2001, showed decreasing petrol prices, caused by uprisings in the crude oil country producers.-- The time of the surveys is incidental.

(Does 'caused by' modify the entire clauses?-- No, only decreasing oil prices)

Yusra Hashim · Answer

Thank you, very clear. But, does that mean Participle phrase can modify both noun and clause just according to the sense of a sentence no matter whether it's the 1st noun, or 2nd noun, or 1st clause or 2nd clause?

Mister Micawber · Answer

Possibly or probably, but I am not good at imagining.  If you have an example, I would be happy to look at it.

Yusra Hashim · Answer

I am not good at giving examples because i am still a beginner but i'll try.

1) Caused by recent earthquake, the tower located in Jamaica, named Breach Tower, collapsed, producing dust all over the country.

(Producing dust..... modifies collapsed right? because its the consequence of collapsed. or does it modify Caused by recent earthquake?. and named bring the sense of passive voice and collapsed is active voice right, i am a bit confused about active and passive verb in participle phrase because they seem to have no auxiliary. We just have to recognize the sense of the sentences right? or does it have any particular rule like it must be structured properly or something?)

2) Tom read a news showing three house were robbed yesterday.(showing modifies news)

3)Tom read a news drinking a cup of coffee. (drinking modifies Tom)

4) Tom read a news showing three house were robbed yesterday, drinking a cup of coffee.(Drinking modifies the 1st clause)

5) Tom read a news, showing three house were robbed yesterday, drinking a cup of coffee( if this phrase is structured correctly, showing three house were robbed yesterday modifies news and drinking a cup of coffee modifies Tom right?)

6) Tom read a news, showing three house were robbed yesterday, causing 3 people dead. (causing 3 people dead modifies showing three house were robbed yesterday)

i am actually confused whether a participle phrase can modify any clause and any noun no matter how they are structured. eg; if there are 3 clause in a sentence, the middle participle phrase can modify 1st clause as well as the 3rd, or if the participle phrase is put in the 3rd clause, can it still modify the 1st and 2nd clause according to the sense of the sentences.

Mister Micawber · Answer

Well, I'll have to fix your sentences a little bit first, Yusra.

1) Damaged by the recent earthquake, a tower located in Jamaica, named Breach Tower, collapsed, spreading dust all over the country.

(Spreading dust.. modifies collapsed right? because its the consequence of collapsed. or does it modify Caused by recent earthquake-- 'Spreading dust...' modifies 'a tower...collapsed' (the main clause).

and named bring the sense of passive voice -- Where is 'named'?
and collapsed is active voice right,-- Right
i am a bit confused about active and passive verb in participle phrase because they seem to have no auxiliary.-- Right.
We just have to recognize the sense of the sentences right?-- Right.
or does it have any particular rule like it must be structured properly or something? -- Well, it must be structured properly, of course.

2) Tom read some news saying three house were robbed yesterday.(saying modifies news)-- Yes

3)Tom read the news drinking a cup of coffee. (drinking modifies Tom-- Yes, but you need to place the nonfinite clause elsewhere because it humorously suggests that the news was drinking coffee. We understand that it is not, but the clause would be better fronted, i.e., placed at the front of the sentence.)
4) Tom read some news saying three house were robbed yesterday, drinking a cup of coffee.(Drinking modifies the 1st clause-- Yes, but it is even more awkwardly placed, You need to front it.)

5) Tom read some news, saying three house were robbed yesterday, drinking a cup of coffee( if this phrase is structured correctly, showing three house were robbed yesterday modifies news and drinking a cup of coffee modifies Tom right?-- Yes but no, the sentence is not structured correctly; rearrange the clauses. And now you have added a further error, since there should be no comma after news because the following nonfinite clause is a defining or restrictive clause.)

6) Tom read some news saying three house were robbed yesterday, causing 3 deaths. (causing 3 deaths modifies showing three house were robbed yesterday-- Yes.)

i am actually confused whether a participle phrase can modify any clause and any noun no matter how they are structured. eg; if there are 3 clause in a sentence, the middle participle phrase can modify 1st clause as well as the 3rd, or if the participle phrase is put in the 3rd clause, can it still modify the 1st and 2nd clause according to the sense of the sentences.

And now I understand your original concern from your previous post. The sense of the sentence will help you decide placement, but fundamentally it should be placed as near as possible to its referent.

Drinking a cup of coffee, Tom read some news saying three house were robbed yesterday, causing 3 deaths.

Yusra Hashim · Answer

Thanks a lot Mister. It clears so much of my confusions. And thanks for fixing my sentences.

Participle phrase and the use of comma

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