A nerve-wracking audition for a summer ballet workshop reminds fifteen-year-old Cass how much she wishes her mom hadn’t died so young. Her dad isn’t exactly Mr. Encouragement when it comes to her dancing, and he shuts down whenever she asks about her mother. Cass feels as though her life is a puzzle with a giant piece missing.



Question: What is a Dangling Participle? And how do I find them...?

Answer: A dangling participle is where the the action described by the verb (the participle, is not placed next to the verb it describes, but behind yet another action.  Sounds complicated, right?  Or careless???

Well just to prove it can happen to anyone, here's a few examples with the participles in bold.


Sleeping in mine orchard, a serpent stung me. (Hamlet)

After driving for 100 km to Lhasa airport, the road meets the Tsang-po (the Brahmaputra)…

And some from just Regular People:

Riding along on my bicycle, the dog knocked me over. (Clever dog!)

Rushing to finish the paper, Bob's printer broke. (Nice when the machinery cares about a deadline!)

Running to the catch the bus, Bob's wallet fell out of his pocket. (Tell that wallet to walk next time!)

Having finished my dinner, the waitress offered to bring out the dessert tray.  (I am not tipping a waitress who eats my dinner!)

At age seven, her grandfather passed away.  (Obviously the grandfather did not pass away at age seven.)

Decked out in a stunning vintage Versace gown, the man couldn't take his eyes off his Academy Awards date.   (Oh, those crazy actors . . . )

Removing each other's fleas, the zoo workers watched the monkeys intently. (Ick!)

 

 

Having been thrown in the air, the dog caught the stick
 

 

Smashed flat by a passing truck, Big Dog sniffed at what was left of a half-eaten hamburger.

After hiking through a few more galleries, their goal appeared ahead. 

Fearing the impact upon her delicate digestive system, the tangerines sat unmolested in the fruit bowl.

 

And from the Want Ads:
 

Wanted. Man to take care of cow that does not smoke or drink.

For sale: an antique desk suitable for lady with thick legs and large drawers.

Have several very old dresses from grandmother in beautiful condition.

3-year-old teacher need for pre-school. Experience preferred.

Hastily summoning an ambulance, the corpse was taken to the mortuary.

While eating our burgers and fries, a BIG rat just stood there on the kitchen floor and stared at us. (The food looked good, but I don't think the rat was going to give it up without a fight.)

After writing my dangling participle sentence, the delivery guy finally showed up and I got a free pizza. (I hope you tipped him well.)