 放大圖片
■同學們在學習英文時以其他句型作起首時亦可產生Dangling Modifiers。 資料圖片
Dangling Modifiers逐個數二之二
上期和同學分享了Dangling Modifiers的問題，今次想和同學討論一下應如何改正Dangling Modifiers。讓我先重溫一下何為Dangling Modifiers。Dangling Modifiers的情況主要出現在有opening phrase的句字中。它的成因在於opening phrase的implied doer與後面句子的subject不相配。例如：
E.g. 1 Exercising every day, annual body check should be less worrisome (令人焦慮的).
在這例1中，「Exercising every day」 的implied doer應該是一個人，可以是「I」，「He/she」之類，因此與後面主句（main clause）的subject與「annual body check」不配合，導致句子的意思荒謬。
句型作起首 易生Dangling Modifiers
同學除了要留意participle phrase (-ed/-ing) 可作opening phrase外，其他的結構亦可作句子的起首。換句話說，以其他句型作起首時亦可產生Dangling Modifiers.
E.g. 2 To impress your date, punctuality (守時) is essential. （ Wrong）
例二亦都是一句dangling modifier。正確的寫法應是：
E.g. 2 To impress your date, you must be punctual (守時).（Correct）
此外，adverb以及preposition phrase等亦可作opening phrases。
加入主語 可免Dangling Modifiers
要避免Dangling Modifiers，主要有兩個方法：
1. Make sure opening phrases 中implied doer 和主句的subject是相同的。
E.g. 3 Practicing dancing weekly, Liz has greatly improved her dancing skills within a short period of time.
2. 在opening phrase中加入subject。
E.g. 4 At the age of 13, several great publishing houses had already helped the genius to publish several books on mathematics. (Wrong)
E.g. 4 When the genius reached age 13, several great publishing houses had already helped her to publish several books on mathematics. (Correct)
在例4正確的例子中，一個明確的subject (i.e. the genius)被加回opening phrase中，成功避免Dangling Modifiers的產生。■Dr. A. Chan
作者簡介：哲學博士，哲學碩士，文學士，英語講師。熟悉公開考試之出題模式與評分準則，任教英語。
逢星期五見報
Exercise
Use either method one or two to correct the Dangling Modifiers in the following sentences.
1. At twenty, The Chinese University of Hong Kong gave me an offer.
2. After eating oysters for the first time, Mary's symptoms including diarrhoea and vomiting were severe.
Answers
1. When I was twenty, The Chinese University of Hong Kong gave me an offer. Or At twenty, I received an offer from The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
2. After Mary ate oysters for the first time, her symptoms including diarrhoea and vomiting were severe. Or After eating oysters for the first time, Mary developed severe symptoms including diarrhoea and vomiting.
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