What is a dangling participle?

A dangling participle is a grammatical error that occurs when a participle, which is a verb form ending in -ing (present participle) or -ed (past participle), does not have a clear connection to the subject of the sentence. This can create confusion or ambiguity in the sentence.

For example, "Walking down the street, the trees swayed in the wind" is a sentence with a dangling participle. The participle "walking" does not have a clear subject and can be confusing as to who or what is walking down the street.

To correct a dangling participle, the participle should be placed next to the word it is modifying, typically the subject of the sentence. For example, "Walking down the street, I saw the trees swaying in the wind" correctly connects the participle "walking" to the subject "I".

Dangling participles can often be avoided by rearranging the sentence or adding a clear subject to the sentence. It is important to pay attention to these errors to ensure clear and effective communication in writing.