Exercise 6.16 Sentences and clauses (cf. Chapter 6)
7.29 Dangling modifiers
Absolute clauses are non-finite or verbless adverbial clauses that have their own subjects:
All their money having been spent on repairs, they applied to the bank for a loan.
He nervously began his speech, his voice trembling.
They strolled by the river, their heads bare.
If adverbial clauses have no subject of their own, their implied subject is generally the same as the subject of the sentence:
Having spent all his money on a vacation to Hawaii, Norman applied to the bank for a loan. (Norman has spent all his money on a vacation to Hawaii.)
A dangling modifier has no subject of its own, and its implied subject cannot be identified with the subject of the sentence though it can usually be identified with some other phrase in the sentence:
dangling Being blind, a dog guided her across the street.
corrected Being blind, she was guided across the street by a dog.
dangling Although large enough, they did not like the apartment.
corrected Although the apartment was large enough, they did not like it.
dangling After turning the radio off, the interior of the car became silent.
corrected After she (or I, etc.) turned the radio off, the interior of the car became silent.
dangling When absent through illness, the company pays you your full salary for six months.
corrected When you are absent through illness, the company pays you your full salary for six months.
dangling Being an excellent student, her teacher gave her extra work to do.
corrected Since she was an excellent student, her teacher gave her extra work to do.
E X E R C I S E S
Exercise 7.1 Subject–verb agreement (cf. 7.1)
Select the appropriate verb form given in brackets at the end of each sentence, and write it in the blank space.
1. He __________ his neighbour jogging. (see, sees)
2. He __________ know what kind of exercise to do. (don’t, doesn’t)
3. Exercise for the middle-aged __________ considered a prophylactic. (is, are) 4. Too many people __________ up with heart attacks. (end, ends)
5. To undertake an exercise test __________ prudent. (is, are) 6. The test __________ your level of fitness. (determine, determines) 7. Usually the test __________ after a physical examination. (come, comes) 8. Finding out what your heart can do __________ the goal of the test. (is, are) 9. Most tests __________ a treadmill. (use, uses)
10. Some clinics also __________ a bicycle. (use, uses)
11. Walking on an elevated fast-moving treadmill __________ hard work. (is,are) 12. The doctors constantly __________ your heart rate. (monitor, monitors) 13. On the basis of the tests, the doctor __________ likely to recommend an
exercise programme. (is, are)
14. To take up a regular programme __________ discipline. (require, requires)
15. Exercise improves the heart, __________ it? (don’t, doesn’t)
16. That you shouldn’t overexert yourself __________ without saying. (go, goes) 17. On the other hand, we __________ too little exercise. (do, does)
18. We __________ want heart trouble at our age. (don’t, doesn’t) Exercise 7.2 Subject–verb agreement (cf. 7.1–12)
Select the appropriate verb form given in brackets at the end of each sentence, and write it down in the blank space.
1. Surgeons in the US successfully __________ clouded vision or outright blindness by transplanting about 10,000 corneas a year. (alleviate, alleviates) 2. The congregation __________ mainly of factory workers. (consist, consists) 3. Analysis with the aid of computers __________ those accounts that appear
to be conduits for drug money. (select, selects)
4. What makes the situation serious __________ that no new antibiotics have been discovered in the past 15 years. (is, are)
5. Riding a bicycle in London __________ courage and agility. (demands,demand) 6. Each __________ capable of the first 90 minutes of sustained high-altitude
running. (is, are)
7. He was fascinated by the stories in the Old Testament that __________
history to be determined by chance meetings and by small, personal inci- dents. (show, shows)
8. The job of establishing sufficient controls and measurements so that you can tell what is actually happening to athletes __________ tediously complex.
(is, are)
9. Both science and medicine __________ to preparing athletes for competi- tion. (contribute, contributes)
10. The only equipment they work with __________ a blackboard and some chalk. (is, are)
11. One area of research that shows great promise __________ genetics. (is, are) 12. The Producers __________ the most widely praised Broadway show in
decades. (is, are)
13. The blind __________ not want pity. (does, do)
14. These are not the conclusions that she __________ from her survey of the current economic policies of countries in the European Union. (draw, draws) 15. Where he went wrong __________ in the arbitrary way he allowed dialect to
pepper his narrative. (was, were)
16. The extraordinary __________ described as though it were ordinary. (is, are) Exercise 7.3 Subject–verb agreement (cf. 7.1–12)
These sentences form a connected passage. The base form of a verb is given in brackets at the end of each sentence. Write down the appropriate form of the verb in the blank space.
1. The young woman now sitting in the dermatologist’s waiting room __________ an itchy rash. (have)
2. The rash on her elbows and legs __________ due to an allergic reaction. (be) 3. There are many allergies that __________ rashes. (cause)
4. The existence of allergies __________ known long before scientists had any understanding of their nature. (be)
5. The nature of allergy __________ still not fully understood. (be) 6. The victims of allergy seldom die and seldom __________. (recover) 7. There __________ nothing like an itchy rash for wearing a person down.
(be)
8. Some allergies, such as asthma, __________ no external cause. (have) 9. Others __________caused by contact with a foreign substance. (be)
10. The young woman’s allergy __________ brought about by contact with copper. (be)
Exercise 7.4 Indefinite pronouns (cf. 7.6)