COLOR KEY and DEFINITIONS
INDEPENDENT CLAUSE = a group of words that has a subject and a verb and that can stand on its own as a complete sentence.
MAIN CLAUSE = another term for INDEPENDENT CLAUSE
PARTICIPLE = the first word of every PARTICIPLE PHRASE, a special form of a verb that acts like an adjective to describe a noun.
PARTICIPLE PHRASE = the participle plus any modifiers plus an object (on the receiving end of the participial action) plus any modifiers.
OTHER KEY WORDS = first words of other dependent structures.
WEENIE VERBS = forms of the verb "to be"

Usefulness:
Participle phrases are often useful  for getting rid of weenie "to be" verbs.  Whenever you find weenie verbs in an adverb clause or in an adjective clause, maybe you can rewrite the sentence with a participle phrase instead.

Examples:
This sentence has an adverb clause: While John was waiting near the bus stop, he noticed that his wallet was missing.

• What is the adverb clause?  -- While John was waiting near the bus stop.
• What is the independent clause? -- He noticed that his wallet was missing.
• The adverb clause starts with a subordinating conjunction. -- While John was waiting near the bus stop.
• The verb was is a one of the weenie verbs.

• What is the participle phrase?  -- Waiting near the bus stop.
• What is the independent clause? -- John noticed that his wallet was missing.
• The participle phrase starts with a participle. -- Waiting near the bus stop.
• Notice how this sentence presents the same details without the weenie was.

• What is the independent clause? -- John asked the people.
• What are the adjective clauses?  -- who were standing on the corner and who was lurking about.
• The adjective clauses start with relative pronouns. -- who were standing on the corner and who was lurking about.
• The verbs were and was are weenie verbs.

• What are the participle phrases?  -- standing on the corner and lurking about.
• What is the independent clause? -- John asked the people.
• The participle phrases start with participles. -- standing on the corner and lurking about.
• Notice how this sentence presents the same details without the weenies were and was.

Participle Phrases and Commas
Which comma rules have we covered so far?

• Between items in a series
• After introductory phrases and clauses
• Before FANBOYS only when they join two independent clauses
• Around non-essential phrases and clauses that interrupt

• The "After introductory phrases and clauses" rule applies.  Watch out whenever you see a participle as the first word of a sentence.
• The "Around non-essential things that interrupt" rule applies.  Sometimes participle phrases are essential and sometimes they are non-essential.  If the phrase appears after a name, put commas around the participle phrase.  If the phrase "feels" tacked onto the sentence, put commas around it.  If the phrase is essential to your understanding of which "noun," do not put commas around it.

Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers
WATCH OUT when the participle is the first word of a sentence.  Make sure that the participle actually describes the subject that follows the comma.

Example of a Misplaced Modifier:

Error: Hanging by their tails from the branches, the children watched the monkeys.
(This means that the children were hanging by their tails!  Notice how this is a misplaced modifier; this participle phrase should be describing the monkeys.)

HOW TO FIX: To fix a misplaced modifier, move the participle phrase so that it follows the item that it actually describes.

Correction: The children watched the monkeys hanging by their tails from the branches

Error: Running through the neighborhood last Saturday afternoon, his nose detected the delectable aroma of barbecued steak on someone's backyard grill.
(This means that "his nose" was running through the neighborhood!  The participle phrase is actually describing something or someone that is not even mentioned in the sentence—"He" or whoever was running.  When the noun that the participle describes is missing from the sentence, we call this a dangling modifier; it's not attached to anything.)

HOW TO FIX #1: Convert the participle phrase into an adverb clause.  WARNING: Make sure the adverb clause has a subject.

Correction #1: While Jonathan was running through the neighborhood last Saturday afternoon, his nose detected the delectable aroma of barbecued steak on someone's backyard grill.

HOW TO FIX #2: Leave the participle phrase alone, but change the subject in the main clause and rewrite the clause accordingly.  Ask yourself, "Who was running?"  Use the answer to that question as the subject that follows the comma.

Correction #2: Running through the neighborhood last Saturday afternoon, Jonathan detected the delectable aroma of barbecued steak on someone's backyard grill.

Check Your Answers

Click HERE to compare your answers (to the exercises, pp. 251-56) to the instructor's answers.