Which sentence has a correctly placed participial phrase?
A. The grocery store clerk placed dented cans reserved for items on sale on a shelf.
B. Reserved for items on sale, the grocery store clerk placed dented cans on a shelf.
C. The grocery store clerk placed dented cans on a shelf reserved for items on sale.
D. The grocery store clerk, reserved for items on sale, placed dented cans on a shelf.
Answer (2)
A participial phrase is a phrase that contains a present participle or a word that ends in ing (such as running), or a past participle ending in en (such as proven), as well as modifiers, objects, and compliments. In this example we are looking for a sentence that is properly constructed and is logical in expressing the message of the sentence. Therefore, the best choice is C.) The grocery store clerk placed dented cans on a shelf reserved for items on sale. The other sentences use tenses improperly or construct strange ordering of actions in the sentences.
The sentence with the correctly placed participial phrase is C: 'The grocery store clerk placed dented cans on a shelf reserved for items on sale.' This choice correctly indicates that the phrase modifies 'shelf.' Other options create confusion or misplace the modifier.
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