dan|gling participle

dan|gling participle: dan|gling participle «DANG glihng»,

a participle not clearly connected with the word it modifies. In “Sitting on the porch, a beautiful moon can be seen,” sitting is a dangling participle.

Usage A dangling participle is objectionable because of its ludicrous effect »(Walking down the street, the church steeple came into view)
or its lack of immediate clarity: »Toddling down the walk, I saw the neighbor's child. Working at his desk, the sudden noise proved startling.
Clarity is achieved by placing the participle next to the word it modifies »(... the child toddling down the walk)
and by stating the word it modifies »(Working at his desk, he was startled by...).
A participle which technically dangles but is neither ludicrous nor at all unclear is called an absolute participle, and it is generally regarded as acceptable: »Strictly speaking, a tomato is a fruit. Barring accidents, we shall be at home by six. Talking of flower shows, did you see the one of 1975?

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dangling participle — dan′gling par′ticiple n. gram. use a participle or participial phrase, often found at the beginning of a sentence, that appears from its position to modify an element of the sentence other than the one it was intended to modify, as plunging in… … From formal English to slang
dangling — dan·gling (dăngʹglĭng) n. Of or being a modifier, especially a participle or participial phrase, that grammatically modifies the subject of its sentence but semantically modifies another element of the sentence or an unstated referent, as… … Universalium

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