Reduction of Adverb Clauses to Modifying Adverbial Phrases

1. Reduction of Adverb Clauses to Modifying Adverbial Phrases

2. Introduction • (a) Adverb clause: While I was walking to class, I ran into an old friend. • (b) Modifying phrase: While walking to class, I ran into an old friend. • (c) Adverb clause: Before I left for work, I ate breakfast. • (d) Modifying phrase: Before leaving for work, I ate breakfast.

3. Some adverb clauses may also be changed to modifying phrases, and the ways in which the changes are made are the same: • If there is a be form of the verb, omit the subject of the dependent clause and beverb, as in (b). OR • If there is no be form of a verb, omit the subject and change the verb to -ing, as in (d).

4. (e) Change possible:While I was sitting in class, I fell asleep. • While sitting in class, I fell asleep. • (f) Change possible:While Ann was sitting in class, she fell asleep, (clause) • While sitting in class, Ann fell asleep. • An adverb clause can be changed to a modifying phrase only when the subject of the adverb clause and the subject of the main clause are the same. • A modifying adverbial phrase that is the reduction of an adverb clause modifies the subjectof the main clause.

5. (g) No change possible: While the teacher was lecturing to the class, / fell asleep.* • No reduction (i.e., change) is possible if the subjects of the adverb clause and the main clause are different, as in (g). • * While lecturing to the class, I fell asleep means “While I was lecturing to the class, I fell asleep.”

6. h) INCORRECT: while watching TV last night, the phone rang. • In (h): While watching is called a “dangling modifier” or a “dangling participle,” i.e., a modifier that is incorrectly “hanging alone” without an appropriate noun or pronoun subject to modify.

7. Changing Time Clauses to Modifying Adverbial Phrases • (a) Clause: Since Maria came to this country,she has made many friends. • (b) Phrase: Since coming to this country, Maria has made many friends. • Adverb clauses beginning with after, before, while, and sincecan be changed to modifying adverbial phrases.

8. (c) Clause: After he (had) finished his homework, • Peter went to bed. • (d) Phrase: After finishing his homework, Peter went to bed. • (e) Phrase: After having finished his homework, Peter went to bed. • In (c): There is no difference in meaning between After he finished and After he had finished. • In (d) and (e): There is no difference in meaning between After finishing and After having finished.

9. ( f ) Phrase: Peter went to bed after finishing his homework. The modifying adverbial phrase may follow the main clause, as in (f).

10. Exercise 3, p. 388. • 3. Before I came to class, I had a cup of coffee. / Before coming to class, I had a cup of coffee. • 4. Before the student came to class, the teacher had already given a quiz. / (no change) • 5. Since I came here, I have learned a lot of English. / Since coming here, I have learned a lot of English. • 6. Since Alberto opened his new business, he has been working 16 hours a day. / Since opening his new business, Alberto has been working 16 hours a day. • 7. Omar left the house and went to his office after he (had) finished breakfast. / Omar left the house and went to his office after finishing/having finished breakfast. • 8. Before the waiter came to our table, I had already made up my mind to order shrimp. / (no change) • 9. You should always read a contract before you sign your name. /You should always read a contract before signing your name. • 10. While Tack was trying to sleep last night, a mosquito kept buzzing in his ear. / (no change) • 11. While Susan was climbing the mountain, she lost her footing and fell onto a ledge several feet below. / While climbing the mountain, Susan lost her footing and fell onto a ledge several feet below. • 12. After I heard Marika describe how cold it gets in Minnesota in the winter, I decided not to go there for my vacation in January. / After hearing Marika describe how cold it gets in Minnesota in the winter, I decided not to go there for my vacation in January.

11. Expressing the Idea of “During the Same Time’’ in Modifying Adverbial Phrases • (a) While I was walking down the street, I ran into an old friend. • (b) While walking down the street, I ran into an old friend. • (c) Walking down the street, I ran into an old friend. • Sometimeswhileis omitted, but the -ingphrase at the beginning of the sentence gives the same meaning (i.e., “during the same time”). • Examples (a), (b), and (c) have the same meaning.

12. Expressing Cause and Effect in Modifying Adverbial Phrases • (a) Because she needed some money to buy a book,Sue cashed a check. • (b) Needing some money to buy a book, Sue cashed a check. • (c) Because he lacked the necessary qualifications, he was not considered for the job. • (d) Lacking the necessary qualifications, he was not considered for the job. • Often an -ingphrase at the beginning of a sentence gives the meaning of “because.”

13. Examples (a) and (b) have the same meaning. • Becauseis not included in a modifying phrase. It is omitted, but the resulting phrase expresses a cause-and-effect relationship, as in (b) and (d). • (e) Having seen that movie before, / don’t want to go again. • (f) Having seen that movie before, I didn’t want to go again. • Having + past participle gives the meaning not only of "because” but also of “before.”

14. (g) Because she was unable to afford a car, she bought a bicycle. • (h) Being unable to afford a car, she bought a bicycle. • (i) Unable to afford a car, she bought a bicycle. • A form of bein the adverb clause may be changed to being. The use of being makes the cause-and-effect relationship clear. • Examples (g), (h), and (i) have the same meaning.

15. Exercise 6, p. 390. • Modifying adverbial phrases: • 2. Being a widow with three children (because) • 3. Sitting on the airplane and watching the clouds pass beneath me (while) • 4. Having guessed at the answers for most of the test (because) • 5. Realizing that I had made a dreadful mistake when I introduced him as George Johnson (because) • 6. Tapping his fingers loudly on the airline counter (while, because) • 7. Having broken her arm in a fall (because) • 8. Lying on her bed in peace and quiet (while, because) • Exercise 7, p. 390. • 2. Believing no one loved him, the little boy ran away from home. • 3. Having forgotten to bring a pencil to the examination, I had to borrow one. • 4. Being a vegetarian, Chelsea does not eat meat.

16. Exercise 9, p. 391. • 3. Keeping one hand on the steering wheel, Anna paid the bridge toll with her free hand. • 4. (no change) • 5. Hearing that Nadia was in the hospital, I called her family to find out what was wrong. • 6. (no change) • 7. Living a long distance from my work, I have to commute daily by train. • 8. (no change) • 9. Being a married man, I have many responsibilities. • 10. (no change) • 11. Recognizing his face but having forgotten his name, I just smiled and said, “Hi.” • 12. (Being) Convinced that she could never learn to play the piano, Ann stopped taking lessons.

17. Exercise 11, p. 392. • 3. (correct) • 4. Because I was too young to understand death, my mother . . . . • 5. (correct) • 6. While I was working in my office late last night, someone . . . . • 7. After we (had) hurried to get ready for the picnic, it . . . . • 8. While I was walking across the street at a busy intersection, a truck . . . .

18. Using Upon + -ing in Modifying Adverbial Phrases • (a) Upon reaching the age of 21, I received my inheritance. • (b) When I reached the age of 21, I received my inheritance. • Modifying adverbial phrases beginning with upon + -ingusually have the same meaning as adverb clauses introduced by when. • Examples (a) and (b) have the same meaning.

19. (c) On reaching the age of 21 , I received my inheritance. • Upon can be shortened to on. • Examples (a), (b), and (c) all have the same meaning.

20. Exercise 13, p. 393. • 2. Upon crossing the marathon finish line, Tina fell in exhaustion. • 3. Upon looking in my wallet, I saw I didn’t have enough money to pay my restaurant bill. • 4. Sam found that he had made a math error upon re-reading the data. • 5. Upon finishing the examination, bring your paper to die front of the room. • 6. . . . Upon hearing my name, I raised my hand to identify myself. • 7. . . . Upon hearing this, Cook grabbed his telescope and searched the horizon.

21. Exercise 14, p. 394. • 5. Before leaving on my trip, I checked to see what shots I would need. • 6. (no change) • 7. Not having understood the directions, I got lost. • 8. My father reluctantly agreed to let me attend the game after having talked/talking it over with my mother. • 9. (Upon) Discovering I had lost my key to the apartment, I called the building superintendent. • 10. (no change) • 11. After having to wait for more than half an hour, we were finally seated at -the restaurant.