Identify the error in the sentence "Walking to the store, the rain started."

Prepare for the ACT Conventions of Standard English Test with our interactive questions, detailed hints, and explanations. Enhance your grammar skills and boost your exam confidence!

Multiple Choice

Identify the error in the sentence "Walking to the store, the rain started."

Explanation:
The sentence uses a dangling modifier. The phrase at the front, “Walking to the store,” is a participial phrase that should describe the subject of the main clause, but the main clause has “the rain started,” whose subject is the rain. That makes it sound like the rain was walking to the store, which isn’t possible. To fix it, align the subject with the modifier or move the phrase so it clearly describes the same subject: for example, “As I walked to the store, the rain started” or “While I was walking to the store, it started to rain.”

The sentence uses a dangling modifier. The phrase at the front, “Walking to the store,” is a participial phrase that should describe the subject of the main clause, but the main clause has “the rain started,” whose subject is the rain. That makes it sound like the rain was walking to the store, which isn’t possible. To fix it, align the subject with the modifier or move the phrase so it clearly describes the same subject: for example, “As I walked to the store, the rain started” or “While I was walking to the store, it started to rain.”

Subscribe

Get the latest from Examzify

You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy