Then + participle

Question

Homelander made another heroic save today, stopping a hijacked armored truck, then staying behind for a photo op with some very lucky fans.
(This line is from an American superhero television series. A reporter says this sentences on the news. "Homelander" is an superhero. + Photo op means: Photo opportunity. )

Does "staying behind for a photo op" count as a heroic save? I am having a hard time understanding the reason why the marked participle phrase is being used.

Isn't this version is better.:

..., then stayed behind for a photo op with some very lucky fans.

I don't quite understand what the function of participles in the first example? Does it express another action that happened throught the first action? I think " Stopping a hijacked armored truck" happened throught the first action "making another heroic save" but " then staying behind for a photo op with some very lucky fans" obviously happens after these action.

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I used "then + participle" by using the first sentence above as a guideline. Does that sentence below convey what I tried to mean?

Waiting for a bus at the station, she came across her old friend, then getting on the bus together.

+

What I try to mean by the sentene above: While she was waiting for a bus, she came across her old friend, and then the bus came after that they got on the bus together.

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

mango pen 189Does "staying behind for a photo op" count as a heroic save?

No. Not in my book.

mango pen 189I am having a hard time understanding the reason why the marked participle phrase is being used.

The writer didn't analyze the situation in great detail before setting the thought down on paper.

mango pen 189Isn't this version is better.:..., then stayed behind for a photo op with some very lucky fans.

Yes, but the original is not particularly bothersome for the casual reader.

mango pen 189I don't quite understand what the function of participles in the first ~~example?~~ example.

It's temporal in nature. First this, then that.

mango pen 189Does it express another action that happened ~~throught~~ through the first action?

Not through. After.

mango pen 189"then staying behind for a photo op with some very lucky fans" obviously happens after ~~these~~ this action.

Right.

mango pen 189I used "then + participle" by using the first sentence above as a guideline.

Why do you want to use a faulty sentence as a model for creating another sentence which will be equally faulty?

mango pen 189Does ~~that~~ the sentence below convey what I tried to ~~mean?~~ say?
Waiting for a bus at the station, she came across her old friend, then getting on the bus together.

More or less, yes. And by separating the two participle clauses you've made it sound even more awkward. Besides, participle clauses are supposed to have the same implied subject as the explicit subject in the main clause, and the last participle clause does not have that. It implies that she got on the bus together, which makes no sense.

mango pen 189~~What I try to mean by~~ What I'm trying to say in the sentence above: While she was waiting for a bus, she came across her old friend, and then the bus came. After that they got on the bus together.

Yes, it's fairly clear that's what you're trying to say, but as you already know, there are better ways to say it, and you've already done that in your explanation here.

CJ

Then + participle

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