Phrase: "His money running out..."

Hi

Could you please tell me what sort of phrase this is? Is it correct? If you are positive, I would request you for a few more examples of the same sort!

1- [color=red]His money running out, he took a job as a dishwasher.

(A stranger in the mirror: pg:32)

Tom

Hi Tom

I’d say it’s a participial phrase functioning as an adjective and it modifies he.

Having no other choice, he took the job.

Smiling broadly, Sue explained her momentous discovery.

Having not studied at all, he failed the test.

Hi Tom,

Just one word of warning: make sure the subject of the phrase is the same subject of the main verb.

Here is a classic example of what not to write:

[size=75]Walking down the street, his hat blew off.[/size]

What’s wrong with that?
I’ve written it small because it’s wrong!

Alan

Hi

Funny, but the classic Russian example of this mistake

“Arriving the station, my hat blew off” © Anton Chechov

seems to be almost acceptable when translated in English directly. :slight_smile:
Or not?

In other words: in my view, the obvious confusion in my (translated) example would be only if I used the Passive form in the second part (‘was blown off’ for hat), instead of Active (as it is in the original version of the Chechov’s joke).

Hi Tamara

I suspect most people would understand the intended meaning of “Arriving at the station, my hat blew off”. But technically speaking, this sentence implies that only the hat arrived at the station. :lol:

Amy

Thank you everybody.

Just one more question:

If I wrote the sentence this way would it be wrong?

With his money running out, he took a job as a dishwasher.

Tom

Yes, thank you, Amy. I first posted it right, but then “corrected”.
Perfect Is the Enemy of (the?) Good’, you know. :slight_smile:

:slight_smile:

That would also be correct Tom.