In each pair of sentences, select the sentence that contains a confusing -ING modifier.
A) Walking on the pier, Pietro's hat blew off.
B) Walking on the pier, Pietro lost his hat when the wind blew it off.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In sentence A, the -ING modifier "Walking on the pier" is placed too far from the subject it is modifying, causing confusion about who is doing the action of the hat blowing off. It could potentially be interpreted as the pier itself walking and causing the hat to blow off. In sentence B, the -ING modifier "Walking on the pier" is closer to the subject it is modifying, making it clearer that the wind caused the hat to blow off while Pietro was walking on the pier.

In Each Pair of Sentences, Select the Sentence That Contains