General Forum
Start a New Topic 
Author
Comment
Parallel structure

This sentence doesn't work for me. It is a fragment joined by a comma and the verbs are not in the same tense. What is a good way to fix this sentence...or is it ok?

John stroked her hair, kissing her gently.

Re: Parallel structure

Actually, the sentence is fine. The comma stops this from being a dangling modifier. The "kissing her gently" is a participle phrase. It is usual to keep these next to whatever they're modifying, but for style purposes, you can split them (as happens in this sentence).

John stroked her hair, kissing her gently. OK

Kissing her gently, John stroked her hair. BETTER

John stroked her hair kissing her gently.
NOT OKAY (This suggests her hair was kissing her)