362. A sentence containing a participial phrase should be so constructed that there is no doubt as to what noun or pronoun the phrase modifies.

In the sentence, “I had a fine view of your new hospital coming in on the train this morning,” the participial phrase seems by its position to modify the noun hospital; but it really modifies the pronoun I, and hence should be placed at the beginning of the sentence. If the phrase is expanded into an adverbial clause of time, it may remain where it is.

363. In the sentence, “Opening the door, my lamp went out,” the participial phrase has nothing to modify.

This is called a dangling or a floating participle. The best way to deal with such a sentence is to expand the participial phrase into an adverbial clause,—“When I opened the door.”

Exercise.—Point out the error in each of these sentences. Reconstruct each sentence.

1. We never once thought of the baby, rushing out of doors to see the fire.

2. I heard the whistles plainly, sailing across the bay.

3. I met your sister coming home from my music lesson.

4. Mother saw the flames first sitting on the veranda.

5. Entering the hall, her foot slipped on the waxed floor and she fell.

6. Putting two and two together, it is quite plain that he wants an appointment.

7. Knitting mittens and piecing quilts, I think Grandmother is very happy.

8. Having been recently painted, Mr. Graham did not recognize his own house.

9. Grasping the rope and plunging into the surf, the huge receding wave carried him out almost to the wreck.

364. We have seen that certain participles are in form precisely like infinitives in -ing, and can be distinguished from them only by their use. The participle is used like an adjective, and the infinitive in -ing is used like a noun.

Take, for instance, the word running in the following sentences:—

Water running down hill acquires great force.

Running races is a small boy’s pastime.

Running water is clear.

I shall never forget the running of that race.

In the first sentence it is clear that running is a participle, because the participial phrase running down hill modifies the noun water and is, therefore, used like an adjective.

In the second sentence it is equally clear that running is an infinitive, for the infinitive phrase running races is subject of the sentence and is therefore used like a noun.

In the third sentence running is a participle, because it is derived from a verb and cannot be compared. (See § 352.) In other respects it resembles a pure descriptive adjective. In the phrase “an interesting book” interesting is a pure adjective; it can be compared.

In the fourth sentence running is an infinitive in -ing. It is modified by an article and is used, like a noun, as the object of the verb.

In the sentences, “It is a wise saying,” “Take my blessing,” saying and blessing are pure nouns without verbal force, as is shown by the fact that they have plural forms.

Exercise 1.—Classify the -ing words in the following sentences as infinitives, participles, adjectives, or nouns:—

1. The half back was cheered by the admiring crowd.

2. The time of the singing of birds is come.

3. I distinctly said that I wanted a singing bird.

4. Singing hymns was her favorite diversion.

5. Painting high buildings is a dangerous occupation.

6. The old lady painting in the Louvre was an excellent copyist.

7. Mr. Morgan paid a large sum for this small painting.

8. The child was pleased with the painting book.

9. A setting hen looks very placid.

10. They should have been arrested for setting fire to the old house.

11. I will ask the photographer when he can give you a sitting.

12. The child sitting on the curbing said sweetly, “Hello, old lady.”

13. The smiling days are not always the friendliest.

14. “I am better,” said Agnes, smiling brightly.

15. A short saying oft contains much wisdom.

16. Ever charming, ever new, when will the landscape tire the view?

17. Health is a blessing that money cannot buy.

18. Another duty the robin took upon himself,—to assist me in seeing that every bird in the room had his daily outing.

19. Turning a canary out into the world is about like turning a two-year old baby out to get its own living.

20. We require from buildings as from men two kinds of goodness: first, the doing their practical duty well; then that they be graceful and pleasing in doing it.

Exercise 2.—Explain the use of each verbal in the following sentences. Analyze sentences 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 13, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21.

1. The garret is a fine place to sit of an afternoon and hear the rain pattering on the roof.

2. To be called to the principal’s office filled the stoutest heart with alarm.

3.

The curfew tolls the knell of parting day,

The lowing herd wind slowly o’er the lea.

4. The old German carpenter packed Mrs. Howe’s heavy furniture in an empty store beneath her apartment, and when she refused to pay him an exorbitant sum, he locked the door on her and her boxes and went off to find a policeman.

5. I had views of many interesting scenes in this family of crows, supposed by the wary parents to be visible only to the cows stolidly feeding on the hillside.

6. The chickens seemed to be well cared for by the women; but the men appeared to be the laziest of mortals.

7. Let us stand on the long iron bridge that spans the St. Lawrence just above Montreal, the very place to study the river as it narrows and runs swifter for its smashing plunge through yonder rapids to the east,—the dreaded Lachine Rapids, whose snarling teeth flash white in the sun.

8. To keep Jim from following the regiment or from staying and getting lost in search of it, the wagoner had tied him to the rear axle of his wagon with a strong twine.

9. The engine mounted the curve faster and faster, roaring through a tunnel, growling over a bridge, and snarling at a paling alongside, but no glimpse of the runaway locomotive could the pursuers get.

10. Daddy felt, like the midshipman, sadly perplexed when the dog was finally missing, but he could suggest no mode of revenge which was not too dangerous for them to put in practice.

11. The thought of my shortcomings in this life falls like a shadow on my life to come.

12. Launching majestically from the edge of the nest, the great eagle had swooped down into the cold shadow, and then, rising into the light by a splendid spiral, he had taken a survey of the empty, glimmering world.

13. Our terrier was never known to spend a night away from home.

14. It is inexplicable to me that any bird should be either so unobservant as not to recognize a foreign egg at sight, or so easy-tempered as not to insist on straightway being rid of it.

15. It is easier to do what you please than to do what you ought.

16. The blue-white moon of midwinter, sharply glittering like an icicle, hung high in a heaven clear as tempered steel.

17. Sometimes the fox resorts to numerous devices to mislead and escape the dog altogether,—walking in the bed of a small creek, running along a rail fence, or leaping into a hollow stump.

18. The elephants simply moved their legs mechanically up and down, and swung their trunks to and fro; but they were determined not to pull or exert the slightest power, neither did they move forward a single inch.

19. The only way to mitigate the hard lot of a canary is to make him so happy that he will not wish to be free.

20. The best part of a journey is getting home again.

21. Jefferson sent Lewis and Clark to penetrate the vast regions west of the Mississippi.

22. While the old turkey perched upon a tree top to keep an eye on the enemy, the brood went sailing over the trees toward home.

23. The officers ordered the crape to be instantly cut off from the dogs’ legs.