misplaced modifiers in a sentence

I have these two sentences: The family of Johnsons in 1980 are heartbroken. They, like all families around them, appear to have given up. When I read it, a lot of things are wrong and awkward about this sentence. My question: Is “of Johnsons” a misplaced modifier? Also, given that the two sentences have to … Read more

Can linking verbs and action verbs be together as elements of the same list?

I am writing a sentence that contains a list of elements in it. Some of the elements are formed with linking verbs and some with action verbs. For example: Laura is a sexy lady, smells heavenly, dances salsa gracefully, and plays soccer in her free time. To me, somehow, mixing linking verbs (is, smells) and … Read more

Linking word for “in exchange”?

I’m looking for a linking word that can connect two sentences: Omitting the predefined parameter relaxes the potential charging destinations at a step to be the entire sensors, thereby expanding the potential trajectory space. ______, it requires the charging algorithm to strike a balance between extending the network lifetime and the efficiency of the MC. … Read more

May a linking verb be omitted in a sentence with compound subject?

Consider the sentence: Our son, John, is 15 and our daughter, Mary, 11. Is it grammatical? I have read such omission of the linking verb (especially is) in a sentence with a compound subject. I wanted to know if the linking verb attaches to both the subjects. Is the above preferred to the more straightforward … Read more

Can you say “The Purpose is To Claim/Support/Embarrass/verb”? (Noun – linking verb – infinitive)

By the most strict rules of the English language, can you actually say "the purpose is to claim that…" or "her purpose is to embarrass him…" etc. Colloquially, this and phrases like it (i.e. phrases with a noun linked to an infinitive via a linking verb) are said often, but I wonder if it is … Read more

“Lying on couches is boring” vs. “Lying on couches are boring”

Using the example sentence in the title, would you use the plural linking verb "are" or singular linking verb "is"? The same question can be applied to anything with the following format: (action verb ending with -ing) (prepositional phrase) (singular or plural linking verb) (adjective) To take a step further, here are my reasoning for … Read more