when ing-verb falls in the middle of the sentence

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Beatrix Potter, in her book illustrations, carefully coordinating them with her narratives, capitalized on her keen observation and love of the natural world.
(A) Beatrix Potter, in her book illustrations, carefully coordinating them with her narratives,
(B) In her book illustrations, carefully coordinating them with her narratives, Beatrix Potter
(C) In her book illustrations, which she carefully coordinated with her narratives, Beatrix Potter
(D) Carefully coordinated with her narratives, Beatrix Potter, in her book illustrations
(E) Beatrix Potter, in her book illustrations, carefully coordinated them with her narratives and



In (B), OG says coordinating them with her narratives modifies illustrations. Why can't it modify Beatrix Potter?

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by ceilidh.erickson » Wed Aug 16, 2017 4:09 pm
Generally speaking, NOUN MODIFIERS are understood to modify the noun (or noun phrase) that they are closest to.

We could say: Beatrix Potter, carefully coordinating her illustrations, did such-and-such...
In this case, we'd be modifying Potter with a non-essential participial modifier.

But in the original sentence that you posted, we have two non-essential modifiers stacked in a row: "in her book illustrations" and "carefully coordinating..." We shouldn't stack two non-essential modifiers that are trying to modify the same noun.

Does that answer your question?
Ceilidh Erickson
EdM in Mind, Brain, and Education
Harvard Graduate School of Education