A Relaxed Afternoon

Read this sentence carefully:

Soothed by the music, the afternoon was spent reading.

If you read it literally — the way it’s written — you have to assume that the afternoon was what was soothed by the music. BECAUSE: what follows an opening clause (soothed by the music) has to be the subject that is “soothed”. Ask: “Who is soothed by the music?” And remember to use the comma. Try this:

Soothed by the music, the angry teenager spent the afternoon reading.

Or

Soothed by the music, the feisty princess decided to throw a party.

 Or

Soothed by the music, the lazy police sergeant forgot to draw his gun.

 Or

Soothed by the music, the rebellious third graders spent the afternoon reading.

 Do you remember that a clause needs a verb? You get a gold star!