Verbal Modifier

by **annaschreinemacher** Fri Sep 28, 2012 9:33 am

Hi,

I have two questions regarding verbal modifiers.

1) In Manhattan SC Guide you give the following example for verbal modifiers: I lifted the weight, whistling "Beat It". How do I know, that it is not the weight that whistles "Beat It". (Obviously it can't...I am asking from a grammer perspective.)

2) Participles can modify nouns and noun/verb clauses. Can you explain to me how to figure out whether the participle modifies the noun or the verb?

Thank you very much in advance.
Anna

by **tim** Tue Oct 02, 2012 2:09 am

i think the answer to (2) will be clear after we analyze (1). we know "whistling" does not modify the weight because there is a comma. without a comma, the participle modifies the noun before it; with a comma, it is typically an adverbial modifier..

Verbal Modifier

Verbal Modifier

Re: Verbal Modifier