DANGLING CONSTRUCTION
A dangling
construction is a group of words that the writer intends to be a modifier for a
noun or phrase but the noun or phrase is not actually in the sentence.
Instead, the modifier erroneously describes a noun or phrase that is in
the sentence -- sometimes with humorous results.
Example: After
eating, the waiter gave us the bill. (The sentence grammar says the waiter did
the eating but that's not what the writer really means.
ANTECEDENT OF
PRONOUN
An antecedent comes before a
pronoun. A pronoun and its antecedent must agree in gender and number. For
example, if the antecedent is singular and female, the pronoun must refer to a
single female. If the antecedent is plural, then the pronoun must be plural as
well. It is important to make sure that your pronouns have clear antecedents.
Sometimes the references are vague and the reader cannot figure out to whom a
pronoun is referring.
Example: Jane called her friend
(Jane and her are both singular and feminine)
