For example:

It is a thing that works producing stuff.

This feels wrong to me, but I can’t quite put my finger on what exactly is wrong about it. It seems like it’s trying to be a participle phrase, but it’s not necessarily modifying the current state of “it”, and is, instead, describing what “it” is.

If it is, indeed, a participle phrase, then it should be able to be written as

Producing stuff, it is a thing that works.

But, to me, this doesn’t seem correct either, so it leads me to believe that the very structure of the sentence is incorrect.

  • @confluence
    link
    English
    21 year ago

    Ok, how about doubling up on the present participles? “The thing is working, producing stuff.”