Averell  +  168654 Sun, 11 Dec 05 07:29 AM Dear, I have the following sentence: Some insects bear a remarkable resemblance to dead twigs, being long, wingless, and brownish in color. I wonder whether this is the reduced form of ... dead twigs, which are long, wingless... If so, could I change to Some insects bear a remarkable resemblance to dead twigs - long, wingless, and brownish in color (without being)? Thank you very much! Averell Joined on Thu, Jan 20 2005 Hanoi New Member 36 Dear, I'm trying to be better in English, so, whenever you see mistakes in my posts, please let me know. Thank you very much! Clauses

	CalifJim  +  168658 Sun, 11 Dec 05 07:49 AM It is both the insects and the twigs which are long, wingless, and brownish in color, so, strictly speaking, "dead twigs, which are ..." is not quite correct in my opinion.  The "being long ..." phrase is equivalent to "because they are long, ...".  It is a listing of the specifics of the resemblance.  You can also use the dash "dead twigs - long, wingless, ...".  The implication again is "because". (There are other paraphrases besides "because they are".  I merely use "because" as one possibility.) CJ CalifJim Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004 California Veteran Member 22,399 "There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche Clauses

	Ikia  +  168752 Sun, 11 Dec 05 03:50 PM Your suggested use of a relative clause (which) after twigs means that the twigs are long and wingless. I don't think you mean that. The phrase "being long, wingless, and brownish in color" modifies INSECTS. When these verbal phrases get too far from what they modify (dangling modifier), the meaning of the sentence doesn't flow logically.  Compare the original sentence with this one: Being long, wingless, and brownish in color, INSECTS bear a remarkable resemblance to dead twigs. Notice that "insects" is right next to the verbal phrase. I think the original sentence is a good example of a dangling modifier (verbal phrase). Changing the verbal phrase to a relative clause doesn't fix the problem, I don't think. Ikia Ikia Joined on Thu, Dec 8 2005 Junior Member 58 Clauses

	MrPedantic  +  168757 Sun, 11 Dec 05 04:08 PM 1. Some insects bear a remarkable resemblance to dead twigs, being long, wingless, and brownish in color. I wouldn't myself call this a dangling modifier, since the subject of the first clause is the same as the implicit subject of the second clause. ("Some insects look like X, because they are...") This however dangles: 2. Being long, wingless, and brownish in color, he mistook the insects for dead twigs. ("Since he was long, wingless, etc., he mistook...") MrP MrPedantic Joined on Tue, Oct 12 2004 Veteran Member 12,592 ...opella forensis / adducit febris... Clauses