WRFH/Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM - Grammar Minute: When the Music Turns the Volume Down

Episode Date: March 31, 2025

Adjectival phrases must match the subject of the sentence. Learn why on today's episode of Grammar Minute!

Welcome to the Grammar Minute, where we're saving the English language 60 seconds out of time. I'm Lauren Smith, and if you put a descriptor at the beginning of your sentence, it must match the subject of that sentence. Let me explain. Here's a sample. After turning down the volume, the music sounded better. That phrase at the beginning, after turning down the volume, is technically an adjective, meaning that it describes a noun, the one immediately following, the music. So, after turning down the volume, the music sounded better, means that the music turned the volume down. Adjective phrases used like this always modify the subject of the sentence, so make sure the subject matches. You could reword the sentence in question by saying, after I turned down the volume, the music sounded better, replacing that adjective with a clause.

Or you could say, after turning down the volume, I thought the music sounded better. That's your Grammar Minute. Visit the Graverminit.com for more tips and tricks.