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Can I use an adjective as a modifier at the beginning of a sentence?

English Language & Usage Asked on November 26, 2020

For instance,

Angry, I smashed his head into the wall

Or should it be

Angrily, I smashed his head into the wall

2 Answers

The appositive meaning of "Angry" and "he" is clear and unambiguous so there is no reason to avoid the construction.

Cambridge dictionary

quotes an identical construct, albeit with a participial adjective "undaunted":

"Undaunted, we started to think about the problem."

You may also like the example of "Silent We Stood", which is the title of a novel by Henry Chappell.

Answered by Anton on November 26, 2020

It can be either and that depends on what the person wants to say. If they want to say that they smashed someone's head into a wall because they were angry, then the first sentence is the right one. if instead they simply want to say that they were angry while smashing someone's head into a wall, then the second sentence is what has to be used.

Answered by LPH on November 26, 2020

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