[Note.]—Impersonal constructions must be used with caution. "It is raining" is correct, although it has no antecedent. We desire that the antecedent shall be vague, impersonal. But unnecessary use of the indefinite it, you, or they should be avoided.
- Faulty: It says in our history that Columbus was an Italian.
- Right: Our history says that Columbus was an Italian.
- Not complimentary to the reader: You aren't hanged nowadays for stealing.
- Right: No one is hanged nowadays for stealing.
- Faulty: They are noted for their tact in France.
- Right: The French are noted for their tact.
Exercise:
- You use little slang in your paper which is commendable.
- They had no reinforcements which caused them to lose the battle.
- The carbon must be removed from pig iron to make pure steel, and that is done by terrific heat.
- Our stenographer spends most of her spare time at a cheap movie theater, which is in itself an index of her character.
- It says in the new rules that you aren't allowed in the building on Sunday.
[Dangling Participle or Gerund]
23. A participle, being dependent, must refer to a noun or pronoun. The noun or pronoun should be within the sentence which contains the participle, and should be so conspicuous that the participle will be associated with it instantly and without confusion.
- Wrong: Coming in on the train, the high school building is seen. [Is the building coming in? If not, who is?]
- Right: Coming in on the train, one sees the high school building.
A sentence containing a dangling participle may be corrected (1) by giving the word to which the participle refers a conspicuous position in the sentence, or (2) by replacing the participial phrase by some other construction.
- Wrong: Having taken our seats, the umpire announced the batteries.
- Right: Having taken our seats, we heard the umpire announce the batteries. [Or] When we had taken our seats, the umpire announced the batteries.
- Wrong: She was for a long time sick, caused by overwork. [The participle caused should not modify sick. A participle is used as an adjective, and should therefore modify a noun.]
- Right—using an adjectival modifier:
- caused by
- due to
- She had a long sickness,
- because of
- owing to
- on account of
- overwork.
- Right—using an adverbial modifier:
- She was for a long time sick
- overwork.
When a gerund phrase (in passing, while speaking etc.) implies the action of a special agent, indicate what the agent is. Otherwise the phrase will be dangling.